Daniel Akpeyi returns to frustrate Kaizer Chiefs as Amakhosi go down to Swallows

Daniel Akpeyi produced stunning saves to help the Birds get the better of his former club here, the Nigerian seemingly showing Amakhosi that they should have used him much better when he played for them.

The Swallows goalkeeper was largely responsible for his team’s victory that catapulted them into eighth spot, far away from the relegation zone where they had languished for a significant part of the season.

With the visitors having taken a 2-1 halftime lead in this Soweto Derby played in Polokwane, Chiefs piled on the pressure for the entire second half looking to at least get a draw.

But Akpeyi was uncompromising as he thwarted just about every Chiefs attack, often diving full length to stop the ball from going into his net or flailing himself into the air to push goal-bound shots away.

There was a moment late in the match when an injury to Keegan Allan sent the arena into fear with two ambulances coming in to carry the player who incredibly ended up walking off the pitch with the help of medical personnel.

The injury happened as Chiefs tried for the equaliser and Allan collided with Amakhosi's Dillan Solomons as they tussled for a high ball.

Not many would have anticipated the first half producing three goals, but such is the two sides’ precarious positioning on the league table that they were always going to go at each other hammer and tongs.

The hosts Amakhosi came into the match still hopeful to earn that coveted CAF Champions League runners-up spot while the Birds had their elite league lives to play for.

And in the initial stanza at least, it appeared that the fear of relegation was the stronger inspiration as Swallows rushed into the lead via a Gregory Damons goal that was more of a gift from their adversaries.

Chiefs initially looked to be on the attack only to give possession cheaply in the middle of the park for Swallows to launch a counterattack that ended with Damons one-on-one with Itumeleng Khune.

Damons appeared to have initially spurned the opportunity when his shot went straight at Khune. But the Amakhosi stalwart inconceivably failed to hold on to the ball and the Birds forward gleefully grabbed the second chance by slotting home.

Typically, Chiefs dominated play thereafter, their passing machine running with the precision of a well-oiled machine but that flowing play took forever to bear fruit.

As it was, Swallows threatened to go 2-0 up on 18 minutes but Khune denied Kagiso Malinga the glory by blocking the striker’s goal-bound header with an outstretched leg.

The equaliser eventually came on 23 minutes when Mdu Shabalala delivered a sweet free-kick behind the Swallows defensive line for Christian Saile to latch on and leave Daniel Akpeyi chastising his teammates for failing to protect him.

Yet no sooner had Chiefs sent their partisan crowd into song and dance than they were back to trailing as Swallows reclaimed the lead just ten minutes later.

A free-kick from the left by Tshediso Patjie bounced off the heads of both Kwanda Mngonyama and Keegan Allan before it got to Bongani Sam to direct into the net via his head too.

Late in the half Chiefs almost equalised during a lengthy goalmouth action only for Akpeyi to pull off a good save to deny Siyabonga Ngezana.

After the break it was all Chiefs, but the equaliser just never came, thanks to Akpeyi’s brilliance in the Swallows goals.

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