Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs consolidated their lead at the top of the Premier League and added to relegation-threatened Moroka Swallows' misery in a 3-0 win at a rain-swept Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday night.
The final scoreline was no reflection of the uneasy moments The Amakhosi experienced in a relatively well-matched encounter between the Soweto rivals until the 84th minute – Chiefs in front only from a 22nd minute own goal up to this point.
Chiefs finished the gruelling, tense, but at times disarrayed encounter with a flourish as George Lebese with a masterly lobbed shot in the 85th minute and Bernard Parker with a powerful drive in the 86th minute produced late goals of the highest order.
With defending champions and second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns simultaneously picking up three points at the expense of Chippa United, the situation at the top of the log remains more or less unchanged, with Chiefs remaining in front by eight points, but having played one extra game.
It was the crucial own goal from Swallows defender Larry Cohen midway through the opening half that turned the course of the match.
Cohen was attempting to clear George Lebese's corner instead of leaving the high ball for goalkeeper Greg Etafia deflecting the ball into his own net.
The hapless Cohen made amends during the second period when he cleared balls off his own goalline with goalkeeper Etafia already well-beaten.
Swallows, now with Patrick Mabedi as caretaker coach in place of the deposed Fani Madida only 24 hours before the kickoff, looked like a team without a dominant leader lacking in co-ordinated direction.
Swallows understandably threw players forward in the second half in order to try and neutralise the one-goal lead that Chiefs took into the interval, there was little collective effort in piercing the wall-organised Chiefs' defence.
From being only one goal ahead after 85 minutes, Chiefs might well have added to their three-goal tally at the death as The Birds' spirit sagged even further.
A shot from Parker thudded against the post and point-blank, fearless saves by Etafia thwarted Parker, Lebese and Siphiwe Tshabalala in turn.
Swallows launched an equal number of forays from mid-field, but they appeared to lose their way when confronted by a well-organised, iron curtain Chiefs' defence that never lost its shape or composure. – Sapa