Sibanyoni strikes late as Tuks clip Swallows’ wings

Moroka Swallows’ miserable campaign continued unabated on Wednesday, as Thabang Sibanyoni’s stoppage time strike sent the University of Pretoria into the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals.

It looked like Musa Nyatama’s Birds would take the game into extra time, after teenager Lwanda Mbanjwa cancelled out Tebogo Mohlamonyane’s effort.

But Sibanyoni struck at the death as the Tshwane side made it 14 games unbeaten in all competitions.

It was hard to know which side was the favourite for this game, with DStv Premiership side Swallows having not won a match since November, and hammered last time out at home to Sekhukhune United.

Tuks, meanwhile, are chasing automatic promotion to the top flight, currently just a point behind Motsepe Foundation Champioship leaders Magesi FC, Tlisane Motaung’s side having lost just three of 21 league games this season.

The closest Swallows came to scoring in the first half was an effort from young Burkina Faso midfielder Roland Sanou, whose effort from the edge of the box was tipped over by Edward Maova.

Swallows head coach Musa Nyatama had made plenty of changes from the loss to Sekhukhune, and Tuks looked the more composed outfit in the opening period, though they failed to create too many chances, Promise Mkhuma and Mohlamonyane both having efforts that were fairly easily gathered by Daniel Akpeyi.

Triple change

Swallows made a triple substitution at half time, with Gabadinho Mhango, Lindokuhle Mtshali and 17 year-old Mbanjwa sent on to try and boost the Birds’ attack.

Instead it was Tuks who laid siege to the Swallows goal, with Delano Abrahams clattering the post before Mohlamonyane rifled the hosts in front in the 58th minute.

Tuks, however, couldn’t put the game to bed and were punished when Mbanjwa scored his first ever goal for Swallows’ senior team, curling a fine effort into the corner of the net.

But it was the home side who grabbed the winner in stoppage time, a long cross-field ball from one substitute, Kenneth Langa, finding another in Sibanyoni, whose powerful shot beat Akpeyi at his near post.