Lerato Chabangu of Moroka Swallows evades challenge from Lebogang Pila of Jomo Cosmos
The South African PSL takes centre stage this weekend after a week and a half break for the MTN8 semi-finals. The match of the weekend sees last season’s top two finishers Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows clash in what is dubbed the original Soweto Derby. Pirates will look to this match as a chance to redeem themselves after being dumped out of the MTN8 while Swallows will be riding high after soaring through to the final with a victory over Mamelodi Sundowns. The Buccaneers were beaten 3-0 by SuperSport United in the second-leg of the MTN8 semi-final at Orlando Stadium last Saturday evening. SuperSport scored three goals in the second half to beat 10-man Pirates. Pirates’ hot-headed striker Benni McCarthy received a second yellow card and was sent off just before the half-time interval as the Buccaneers were left without their talismanic goal-scorer, facing a strong SuperSport outfit in a volatile second period. The Pirates fans showed their dismay at the team’s home loss by hurling objects, including vuvuzelas, onto the pitch and at stadium security. With the first-leg ending goalless and their league encounter three days prior against SuperSport ending goalless, Pirates have failed to score a single goal in three matches. With the lack of goals and Benni out with a red card, new signing Collins Mbesuma will likely feature here. The Zimbabwean striker often goes through some inconsistent form, but his incredible skill, cheetah-like vitality and natural goal hunting prowess remains rare in the PSL. The champions started their league campaign with a 2-1 home win over Golden Arrows and will be hoping that winning form returns at their Orlando Stadium where they went unbeaten last season. Lerato Chabangu scored a quick-fire brace to cause the early damage as Moroka Swallows beat Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 (6-5 on aggregate) in their MTN8 second-leg semi-final in Dobsonville last Sunday. Swallows started the game with a flurry of goals, opening a 3-0 lead inside the first 20 minutes. The Birds scored their first two through Chabangu and Bennett Chenene added the third. Sundowns replied through a pinpoint Teko Modise free-kick in the 23rd minute, but a further two goals to level matters proved too much for the Pretoria side, and they managed only one more consolation strike deep in second-half injury time. Swallows will now face SuperSport United in the final on September 22, with the venue still to be determined. After suffering a 3-1 away loss to Platinum Stars in the league opener, The Dube Birds then raised their game with the 3-3 draw in the MTN8 first-leg at Sundowns followed up by a 3-1 home win against Ajax Cape Town in their second league match and of course last weekend’s 3-2 win over the Mighty Brazilians. With nine goals in three games and a strike force that consists of the in-form Lerato Chabangu partnered by last season’s top scorer Siyabonga Nomvethe, The Birds will come into this match confident of a win and with some payback in mind for last season’s disappointment of finishing runners-up to Pirates. Coach Zeca Marques has retained his predecessor Gordon Igesund’s style of play with Swallows catching teams effectively on the counter and relying on their good defence. Pirates are unbeaten against Swallows in the last six meetings, winning three of those fixtures. However, with Swallows’ form they have to be followed at good value to break that bad run.
