Swallows earn big point in survival battle holding champions Sundowns to draw

Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a second draw in succession — almost a mini-slump by their remarkable winning standard streaking to the DStv Premiership title a week ago — as Moroka Swallows toughed out a 0-0 stalemate at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday.

In so doing, one record in a season where new marks have tumbled to the now six-time successive league champions, became harder to attain.

For caretaker coach Musa Nyatama's Birds, though, a  hard-earned, deserved point could prove crucial in their relegation battle. They sit in 13th place on 28 points from their 25 matches, four above Marumo Gallants and Maritzburg United in the last two places. 

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwana and his men have bigger fish to sauté in the rest of 2022-23 — including their effort to progress far in the Caf Champions League, where they are through to the quarterfinals — than adding more records to those they have already broken.

But they might take note that their four points dropped in two games — they were also held to a 0-0 draw at home to Cape Town City last week — as they have understandably not won in the league since being crowned champions, means one record seems to be slipping from their grasp.

The points record from the 18-team Premier Soccer League, from before it was reduced to 16 clubs after the 2001-02 season, is 75. The Pretoria team have 61 points and can reach a maximum of 76 if they win their remaining four matches.

The 71-point mark for the 16-team era set by Pitso Mosimane's Sundowns in 2015-16 remains very much in Mokwena's team's reach. 

Of course, Sundowns dominated possession in the opening half. But they did so against a determined, organised Swallows who worked hard to win the ball and restrict chances.

Downs only had one clear opportunity before the break, coming in the opening half-hour. Before that it was the Birds who ruffled the Brazilians' feathers early on as left midfielder Tshediso Patjie's drive forced a diving save from Ronwen Williams.

A Sundowns corner in the 27th was not cleared and off a touch by Teboho Mokoena the ball fell to Peter Shalulile off balance, who skied over from 11 metres.

For the rest of the opening 45 minutes the champions were restricted to drives from range off target.

It took until the hour for Sundowns to produce another decent chance. Neo Maema chipped in from the left and Shalulile, under the close attention of centreback Keegan Allan, was able to chest, turn and squeeze a volley at Daniel Akpeyi from a tight angle.

Mokwena introduced the pace of Thapelo Morena and guile of Gaston Sirnino for Khuliso Mudau and Haashim Domingo in the 66th, as Downs, increasingly muscling themselves onto the front foot, sought a way to get behind Swallows.

Within a minute of the change another ball, from a chip by Maema that Akpeyi spilt, fell at the feet of Shalulile, this time balanced and with no keeper to beat. The Namibian somehow scooped over the bar again when you would have bet your garden shed on him scoring.

Abdelmounaim Boutouil and Bongani Zungu followed in the 78th as another Downs change, for Teboho Mokoena and Maphosa Modiba, as Mokwena attempted to introduce physical bulk to break the deadlock.

Sirino's low, angled drive forced a stop from Akpeyi in the dying moments.  

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