Staff Reporter.
In-form Sekhukhune United climbed to fourth spot on the DSTV Premiership table with a 1-0 over Swallows FC at Peter Mokaba stadium on Friday evening.
The game got off to a frantic pace with Swallows immediately looking for the long ball into the Babina Noko danger area. After 10 minutes played, there was little to separate the two teams as they began feeling each other out.
After the dust settled, Sekhukhune looked comfortable on the ball and proceeded to stroke the ball around with ease. After 15 minutes played, the Dube Birds were reduced to hitting Sekhukhune on the counter attack.
Babina Noko continued to apply pressure and played the ball high up on the pitch. Coach Ernst Middendorp’s side remained watertight at the back during the first quarter of the match.
Both sides battled to manufacture any real goal scoring opportunities inside the first half hour, however, it was the home team who progressed furthest up the pitch.
While Sekhukhune searched on for an opener, Swallows sat tight and kept the host at bay as the ref called time on the first 45.
As the referee restarted the match, Swallows went immediately on the attack and managed to produce an effort at the Sekhukhune goal, however, Mthethwa’s effort whistled over the crossbar.
In a moment of pure magic, Ntiya-Ntiya gave Sekhukhune the lead in the 62nd minute, after unleashing a long range effort that dumbfounded Mbanjwa in goal.
After conceding, Swallows pushed on for an equaliser and went long in an attempt to trouble the Sekhukhune backline. With 10 minutes left, Babina Noko switched into game management mode in soaking up the pressure. With around five minutes left, coach Brandon Truter shuffled his pack and reshaped his side ahead of the closing stages of the tie.
In the end, it was Ntiya-Ntiya’s thunderbolt strike that separated the two sides as Sekhukhune recorded four DStv Premiership wins on the spin.
Meanwhile Cape Town City struck late in the second half to secure a 1-0 win over TS Galaxy in the DSTV premiership encounter on Friday evening.