Ruzaigh Gamaildien of Swallows FC celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal during their Nedbank Cup Last 32 match against TS Sporting at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Saturday Ruzaigh Gamaildien of Swallows FC celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal during their Nedbank Cup Last 32 match against TS Sporting at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Saturday. Picture: Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix
Johannesburg – A rejuvenated second half outing from Swallows FC ensured that they booked their spot in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup as they came-from-behind to beat TS Sporting 2-1 in the last 32 at a slippery Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Birds ended the first half with the most ball possession, but they went into the break behind after Sibusiso Fakude gave his side the lead. But goals from Yagan Sasman and Ruzaigh Gamildien in the second ensured that Swallows got the win.
Swallows became the third side to qualify for the last 16 after Pretoria University and Mamelodi Sundowns. But the Birds will also take a morale booster from this game as they look to turn around their fortunes in the league.
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Swallows are 13th on the log, one point ahead of the rock-bottom TS Galaxy who have a game in hand. But they'll believe that coach Dylan Kerr who's won the Nedbank Cup with a team he saved from the drop can do the same with them.
Kerr led Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, who’ve been renamed to Marumo Gallants, to the Nedbank Cup last term. He also ensured that TTM preserved their status in the first season in the top-flight after they bought the status of Bidvest Wits.
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— SwallowsFC (@Moroka_Swallows) February 5, 2022
Swallows FC2⃣-1⃣TS Sporting #SwallowsFC#UpTheBirds#NedbankCup#KeYona pic.twitter.com/3ud73ncvwr
Swallows came into this game on alert mode, especially considering that there had already been an upset in the competition on Friday afternoon. Second tier division outfit AmaTuks knocked out top-flight division outfit Chippa United by 2-0.
But it was Sporting who were eager to prove that they were in the last 32 of the competition on merit. Such that they nearly grabbed the lead in the 6th minute when Fakude forced Thela Ngobeni into a save after a thumping header.
However, that proved to be the wakeup call that the Birds needed in order to find their footing in the game as they started to attack with purpose. Attacker Monapule Saleng led their attack as he was afforded acres of space on the left flank.
But his hard-work didn’t prove fruitful due to lack of support. This was also due to some good goalkeeping from Samkelo Mbambo who also denied winger Kagiso Malinga the opener after his from a very acute angle on the right flank.
But Sporting didn’t need many opportunities to take the surprise lead. Wing-back Matome Mabeba delivered a telling corner-kick that Ibroihim Youssouf headed towards goal as Ngobeni parried the rebound to Fakude who slotted home.
But, again, Swallows went in search of an immediate response. And, again, they were their worst enemies up front, with Zambian striker Mwape Musonda the main culprit, this time around, as he failed to hit the target on numerous occasions.
The introduction of fresh legs in the second half proved to be a masterstroke for the Birds. Saleng whipped in a telling free-kick that Ruzaigh Gamildien flicked to the path of Yagan Sasman who easily tapped-in past goalkeeper Mbambo.
In the 53rd minute, Swallows turned the game on its tide. Siphesihle Mbele who was a livewire in the Compact Cup released fellow substitute Dillian Solomons. The latter teed Gamildien who easily passed the ball into an empty net.
Gamildien should have found his brace, soon thereafter, but the 32-year-old striker unceremoniously rattled his close-range shot against the crossbar. But that didn’t matter as his influence propelled their come-back and victory in the end.
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