SuperSport condemn Birds to defeat

Moroka Swallows suffered their fourth league defeat in a row when they were beaten 3-1 at home by SuperSport United on Friday night in an Absa Premiership match.

Ashley Hartog, Nathan Paulse and George Maluleka got the goals for Matsatsantsa at the Dobsonville Stadium, whilst a Katlego Mashego penalty was a consolation goal for the Dube Birds.

As early as the fourth minute United had an opportunity when Kermit Erasmus pulled the ball back into the box and the towering physical presence of centre-forward Paulse met the ball with a strong header which Swallows keeper Aubrey Mathibe parried away for a corner.

But three minutes later United took the lead through a defensive mistake by Swallows. It was a route-one ball from United keeper Ronwen Williams which Swallows defender Ashraf Hendricks missed in his attempt to clear and it fell to Sahmeeg Doutie, who pulled the ball back to Hartog to tap into an empty net.

Swallows threatened with a free kick in the 13th minute by Mashego from 30-yards out on the right flank but Williams parried the ball over the bar. Felix Obada tried to pull one back for the home side when he unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from the right channel, but Williams saved in the 18th minute.

In the 26th Luvhengo Mungomeni sent in a stinging left-footed shot from outside the box which Williams saved but spilt into the path of Bennett Chenene but the young United keeper got his body into the near post to deny the Swallows winger a goal.

Six minutes before the interval Chenene had a chance when he broke free down the left wing and the keeper at his mercy he could only drag his effort wide across the face of goal.

In the 50th minute United doubled their lead when Lucas Thwala sent in a long ball into the box for Paulse, who brilliantly controlled with his right foot and thus in the process lost his marker – Swallows defender Giorgio Nergardze – and slotted home coolly into the net.

Swallows were then handed a life line when United defender Thabo September was adjudged to have handled in the box. Mashego sent Williams the wrong way and pulled one back for the birds in the 57th minute.

Immediately from the kick-off United restored their two goal advantage when Maluleka outran the shaky Swallows defence and slotted home to make it 3-1 a minute after Swallows had scored.

Moroka Swallows (0) 1 (Mashego 57’ pen),

SuperSport United (1) 3 (Hartog 6’, Paulse 50’, Maluleka 58’)

Teams:

Moroka Swallows: Mathibe, Mungomeni, Hendricks, Lekgothoane, Nergadze, Tsutsulupa,Mathebula (Cisse 55’), Chabangu, Chenene (Mabalane 72’), Obada, Mashego

SuperSport United: Williams, Fransman, Diouf, Thwala, Pietersen (September 26’), Mdluli, Maluleka, Doutie, Hartog, Paulse (Zuma 83’), Erasmus (Cale 65’)

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