Swallows FC 0-0 Cape Town City: Citizens drop points in Soweto ahead of Orlando Pirates clash
Lakay was a constant threat to the Amaswaiswai defence, but the pacey attacker’s influence waned as the match went on
Swallows FC and Cape Town City played to a 0-0 draw in a PSL encounter which was played at the 2010 Fifa World Cup training venue, Dobsonville Stadium on Friday evening.
This was Swallows’ first match since coach Brandon Truter was placed on special leave following the team’s 3-0 loss to SuperSport United last weekend and the Soweto giants were under the guidance of Simo Dladla, who handed Tebogo Langerman his official debut for the club.
They were facing a City side that was also wounded having succumbed to a 3-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC last weekend and coach Eric Tinker kept his faith in his key attackers Fagrie Lakay, Mduduzi Mdantsane and Bradley Ralani despite having flopped in the Cape Derby.
City were the better side in the opening exchanges and they were very compact when defending, while also looking dangerous on the transition to attack with Ralani and Lakay eager to use their blistering speed to cut open the Swallows defence.
A pass from Lakay sent Mdantsane through on goal, but Langerman made a sensational last-ditch tackle to deny the left-footed playmaker, before Ralani’s shot was fingertipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Virgil Vries, who was well-positioned to make a fine save.
There was an interesting battle between Langerman and Lakay, who was looking to use his pace against the ageing left-back and he managed to beat the former Mamelodi Sundowns star just before the half-hour mark, but he was superbly denied by Vries at the near-post.
Swallows finished the first-half the stronger of the two teams and Junaid Sait’s header was well saved at the near-post by keeper Hugo Marques, before Langerman’s effort from a set-piece was easily blocked by Angola’s finest keeper and the score was 0-0 at half-time.
Amaswaiswai started the second-half brightly, but they were frustrated by the Citizens’ resolute defence and the hosts resorted to long-range shots with Kagiso Malinga unleashing two powerful atttempts which were superbly saved by Marques.
Dladla introduced an attack-minded duo of Keletso Makgalwa and Monnapule Saleng, who scooped last season’s National First Division Golden Boot award, as the home side looked to turn their possessional dominance into goals.
However, Marques was determined to keep a clean sheet on the night as he produced a fantastic save to deny Malinga for the third time in the game and he also blocked a late header from Sipho Sibiya to ensured that the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
The draw left City placed ninth on the league standings and their next game in the competition is against Orlando Pirates on October 2, while 10th-placed Swallows are scheduled to face Sundowns on October 3.
Prior to that, Swallows will host City in the MTN8 semi-final second-leg match at the same venue on Wednesday.
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