Chiefs shoot down Swallows

Johannesburg - An enterprising Kaizer Chiefs gained a sprightly 1-0 victory over Morkoka Swallows in the Premier Soccer League derby at Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday night to plunge the Birds into the midst of an increasing crisis at the bottom of the log.

It was an early strike in only the seventh minute from Abia Nale that produced the solitary goal of the game and kept Chiefs among the forefront of the championship challengers with an unbeaten record of three wins and two draws.

It was a satisfying return for the skilled 24 year-old match-winner and former Golden Arrows schemer, who only regained his place in the Amakhosi line-up because of the injury to Bafana Bafana's Simphiwe Tshabalala.

While Swallows played with more purpose and resolve in the second period, the Birds' haphazard, aimless play at the start of the proceedings was ultimately their undoing.

There can be little doubt that the more purposeful and potent Chiefs deserved the three points, attacking in greater numbers, and were only prevented from increasing their lead by a couple of breathtaking saves from Nigerian international goalkeeper Greg Etafia.

A 37th minute shot from 30 metres by Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona had 'goal' written all over it but a high-flying Etafia somehow deflected the ball past the post.

Although spectators continued to trickle into the off-the-beaten-track Dobsonville Stadium until the interval and the preponderance of Chiefs' fans were in good voice, the size of the crowd was disappointing for what was once one of the blue riband games of the season.

Both sides will rue a succession of glaring missed opportunities, with the Birds' Auguston Leonard's two breakaway sorties shortly before half-time both ending with powder-puff finishing and Chiefs' Kaizer Motaung jnr fluffing a point-blank chance with the goal at his mercy.

Ultimately the hosts missed Siyabonga Nomvethe a great deal more than Chiefs missed the artful Tshabalala, indicating Amakhosi's greater depth of talent and extra dimension overall.

Only a couple of crunching, potentially bone-breaking tackles from Zimbabwean strongman Tenashe Nengomasha soured Chiefs' display in what was otherwise a free-flowing, enterprising performance.