Downs go six clear at the top

Johannesburg - Mamelodi Sundowns extended their lead at the top of the table to six points with a 1-0 win over Moroka Swallows, at Dobsonville Stadium, in their Premiership match on Saturday evening.

For the high-flying Brazillians, it was an incredible ninth consecutive league win, while Swallows fell to four Premiership defeats in a row.

It means Sundowns enjoy a six point cushion at the top of the table with just two games remaining.

Defending league champions, Kaizer Chiefs, have two games in hand but will now feel even more pressure to keep winning.

The victory brings Sundowns' tally to 29 points from 14 away games this season as they edge ever-closer to league honours.

The only goal of the game came courtesy of a thunderbolt strike by Teko Modise in the seventh minute.

Modise took the lead in emphatic fashion for the visitors as he notched up his fifth goal of the season. The 31-year-old ran onto a loose ball 30 metres out, and unleashed a stunner of a shot into the top left corner of the net to make it 1-0 to Sundowns.

Right at the start, Anthony Laffor came perilously close to opening the score for the title-chasing Sundowns in the second minute. Laffor's free header from close range had the beating Greg Etafia in the Swallows goal, but the ball drifted just wide.

Kennedy Mweene, however, was the standout player for Sundowns in the first period.

In the 18th minute, Tshwarelo Bereng had a dip at goal from range, but the keeper made a well-timed dive to tip the ball out for a corner.

As the game approached the interval, Mweene pulled off two close range reaction saves as Swallows desperately searched for the equaliser.

The first save came as Bereng found the ball inside the six yard area, but Mweene was quick to react and blocked the goal-bound shot.

A minute before the break, Bereng sent a free kick into the box and the ball was allowed to bounce before Mweene made yet another timely intervention.

Lerato Chabangu for Swallows had a go from a free kick just after the hour mark. The setpiece from 35 metres out, was directed straight at goal, but Chabangu could not keep his effort down as the ball sailed into the crowd.

The was no change in score as Sundowns held out for a valuable win.