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Mabena’s strike moved Dikwena out of the bottom two and compounded the misery for Swallows, who had Tsietsi Mahoa sent-off on 11 minutes for a disgraceful two-footed lunge on Vuyo Mere.
Mere was stretchered off afterwards, the only sour note on an otherwise satisfactory evening for Stars, who were deserved winners in the end.
The match kick-off 15 minutes late after dangerous lightning conditions around the ground kept the players in the changerooms.
Stars were soon in the lead though as Mabena curled an excellent effort from the edge of the area into the top corner of the net to score his sixth of the season.
Eleazar Rodgers should have made it 2-0 when he found himself one-on-one with Greg Etafia in the home goal, while Swallows’ best attempt of the first half was a free-kick from Lerato Chabangu that flashed over the bar.
Chabangu then forced a fine save out of Stars goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe with a snap-shot from the edge of the area that was beaten away by the Botswana international.
Siyabonga Nomvethe came close to steering his header into the far corner of the net from a Chabangu corner, about as close as Swallows came in the remainder of the game.
Scorer:
Moroko Swallows 0
Platinum Stars (1) 1 (Mabena 10’)
Teams:
Moroka Swallows: Etafia, Mungomeni, Isaacs, Cohen, Mahoa, Sibande (Tsutsulupa 77’), Baloyi, Phalane; Mabalane (Wana 55’), Nomvethe (Obada 70’), Chabangu.
Platinum Stars: Dambe, Mere (Khumalo 15’), Gumede, Semenya, Tshikovhi, Mathe, Ng'ambi (Nyanda 74’), Ngele, Tshabalala, Mabena (Malokase 83’), Rodgers.
