Reprieve for Birds as Chabangu gives them flight

DOBSONVILLE came alive last night when substitute Lerato Chabangu scored a dramatic late winner to earn relegation-threatened Moroka Swallows a valuable three points.

Chabangu could hardly believe it when his free kick from a tight angle rattled the back of the Free State Stars net in the last minute of regulation time as the Dube Birds walked away with a 2-1 win that could inspire a turnaround for the side.

Without a victory since December 20, Swallows showed rare tenacity to come from behind and win.

Fani Madida’s decision to again play defender Ashraf Hendricks as a striker paid off, the player scoring the goal which cancelled out Moeketsi Sekola’s second-half goal.

Madida left the likes of Siyabonga Nomvethe, Chabangu and Dikgang Mabalane on the bench and started with Hendricks, who looked lost until he headed home the equaliser 20 minutes from time.

After a poor display from both sides in the first period, Stars estab- lished an early foothold in the second half and put pressure on the shaky Birds defence.

It did not take long for the home side’s back four to succumb to the pressure, as Sekola pounced on a loose ball in the area after his teammate Danny Venter had struck the upright.

Madida rang the changes, bringing on Nomvethe and Chabangu as Swallows began to find their feet and pile the pressure on the visitors.

They finally got the goal they were looking for, as Hendricks rose highest to head home a cross which was whipped in from the left wing. Then Chabangu sealed it with a beauty.

Elsewhere, Ajax Cape Town also came from behind to beat Black Aces 2-1, while Platinum Stars also got a much-needed win at University of Pretoria via a 1-0 scoreline, thanks to Eleazor Rodgers’s strike.

At the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Celtic added to SuperSport United’s woes by beating them 1-0, with Gordon Igesund’s team losing for the third time on the trot.