Disciplined Swallows defend point against Galaxy with 10 men

Hard-working Swallows FC put in a disciplined performance to defend a point at home playing with 10 men for almost all of the second half in their 0-0 DStv Premiership draw against TS Galaxy at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday.

The Birds had midfielder Gregory Damons sent off in the 48th minute for a rash challenge on Mlungisi Mbunjana.

The incident saw a heated exchange between the two German coaches on the touchline; Swallows’ Ernst Middendorp and the Rockets’ Sead Ramović, whose team could not lift the tempo in the 31°C heat to make their numerical advantage count.

Swallows could even have snuck all three points in the 87th minute after Keegan Allan had the ball in the net but was controversially ruled offside.

Play was understandably slovenly in the opening 45 minutes in the afternoon highveld heat, where a water break was taken in the 24th minute, by which stage Galaxy’s Bosnian goalkeeper Vasilije Kolak had not been called on to make a save.

Until the water break Swallows were the more enterprising team, with Galaxy wresting more of the control after it.

The Birds’ best chance of their period of ascendancy was spurned after left-back Pentjie Zulu’s cross was headed over by a free Damons.

Galaxy’s best chance saw Xola Mlambo’s back-heel tee up lively left-wing Orebotse Mongae in the box to smack a shot that forced a sharp save from Birds keeper Thakasani Mbanjwa.

The second half got off to a poor start for Swallows after Damons received a straight red card from referee Sikhumbuzo Gasa for an over-the-top challenge on midfielder Mbunjana.

Galaxy naturally had the lion’s share of possession after that, and attempted to probe for a winner, but Swallows held out and mostly snuffed out the Mpumalanga team’s attempts at penetration in the final third. 

The Birds were left distraught as the final whistle approached when Yagan Sasman’s free-kick from left midfield was headed across the face of goal by Waseem Isaacs and Allan finished inside the right upright.

The centreback had appeared to ghost free from behind the Galaxy defence, but the near side assistant referee raised his flag for offside.