Thursday afternoon saw the Kaizer Chiefs reserve team go down to their third consecutive defeat, when they were defeated 2-0 by their Moroka Swallows counterparts at the Corinthians Sports Club in Linksfield east of the Johannesburg CBD. The Amakhosi reserves paid the price for not turning their early dominance of the match in to goals, and were left to count the cost of their spurned opportunities as Bongani Mbele scored two goals sixteen minutes apart in the first half to keep Swallows in the driving seat. Defeat for the Chiefs reserves now means that they have cancelled themselves out of the running for the reserve league title.

The match could have had a very different outcome had The Amakhosi reserves found the net early in the game, three minutes of the game had passed when Nyiko Tshabangu found Justice Pilusa in acres of space with a ball through the centre. Pilusa was too casual when inside the Swallows danger zone and when in a one on one situation with Audrey Mathibe he should have scored. Instead Pilusa squandered the chance and knocked the ball wide of Mathibe, a couple of minutes later and Tshabangu was again at the centre of the action as he picked found Matutumane on the over lap. Who in turn curled the ball towards Pilusa who tried to side step the ball home but instead knocked the ball over Mathibe who was stranded in no mans land.

Chiefs continued to pile on the pressure and were almost gifted a goal in the tenth minute, when Shili’s back pass fell short and Pilusa thought quickly and chased after the lose ball, which Mathibe got to just before. The Swallows keeper tried to clear the ball but instead he hit the ball against Pilusa, and it rolled towards the goal but the Mathibe was given a lucky break as the ball rolled inches wide of his goal. Ten minutes later and some what against the run of play Swallows went a goal up, Mosethle beat the off side trap and knocked the ball square to Mbele who drove the ball along the ground past the despairing arm of Itumeleng Khune.

Spurred on by the opposition taking the lead The Amakhosi tried to carve a way back into the game and could have leveled matters in the 25th minute, again it was the Pilusa Tshabangu combination that was at work. The former was able to pick out the latter while under pressure from Shili, Tshabangu inside the six yard area mistimed his effort and instead of flying past Mathibe into the back of the net it flew up and it hit the cross bar.

While Chiefs continued to attack there was always the danger that Swallows could find a goal on the counter attack and Chiefs worst fears came to fruitition in the 36th minute, when Mbele completed his brace after controlling a cross from the left with his chest. The Swallows number 8 hit the ball on the turn and completed his brace as the ball bounced over the outstretched hand of Khune, to give Swallows a 2-0 lead going into the break.

Immediately after the restart Chiefs pressed for an equalizer and missed out on the chance to get themselves back into the game, when Tshabangu did not make the most of the opportunity when collecting a pass from Pilusa. The Chiefs striker took a lazy stab at goal instead of placing the ball and making Mathibe work, he was too casual and in the end his shot resembled a back pass and not a shot on goal. Fifty three minutes of the game had passed when Patrick Thwala weaved his way down the left and with a ball that went around the Chiefs defense and reached Bengu, who was rushed into his shot by the on rushing Khune and shot wide and high over the cross bar.

Swallows seemed content with holding up the ball and playing a counter attacking game, their plan seemed to work but it was not with out a number of nervy moments but again Chiefs were unable to turn home their chances. Just after the hour mark Mathibe spilled Gololo’s cross from the left the former Chiefs player pushed the ball up towards, Sibusiso Msomi who met the ball on the volley but could only find the side netting for all his troubles. Chiefs final chance of the game saw Sibusiso Msomi round Mathibe after being played through on goal by Mbambo, he too could not get on the score sheet as Hummel got behind his keeper to clear the ball off the line.

With one game left the Kaizer Chiefs reserves are aware that they have let the final chance that they had to remain in the hunt for the reserve league title, Ace Khuse and his team will now look forward towards ending off the season with a win. When they take on Jomo Cosmos reserves on the final day of the season on Monday, the Chiefs reserves will be disappointed to lose out on the title after their bright start to the season which saw them lose one of their first seven games.

Line Up’s:

Moroka Swallows: 1. A. Mathibe, 16. M. Shili (17. Cele 72 min), 20. T. Sedla,

5. G. Hummel, 4. P. Mabedi, 23. S. Themba, 13. L. Steyn ( 9. Gwekwerekwere 65 min), 24. T. Mosethle (10. Moketsi 72 min), 11. P. Thwala, 2. A. Bhengu, 8. B. Mbele

Substitutes: 31. J. Mokhashi, 7. J. Cele, 10. M. Moketsi, 9. E. Gwekwerekwere

Kaizer Chiefs: 32. I. Khune, 2. M. Masenya, 3. K. Matutumane, 6. W. Matle,

91. S. Mbambo, 17. S. Zuke, 11. S. Msomi, 19. B. Gololo ( 18. Miya 66 min),

22. J. Pilusa, 5. B. Sondlani ( 25. Nqothani 24 min), 23. N. Tshabangu

Substitutes: 1. T. Ngobeni, 24. M. Mbonambi, 20. N. Mthimunye, 18. M. Miya,

13. M. Maduna, 25. S. Nqothani, 8. P. Mofokeng

Cautions: Yellow Cards, Chiefs, 2. Masenya 63 min, 25. Nqothani 85 min