The former striker of Black Leopards and now a sharpshooter for Moroka Swallows, Siyabonga Nomvethe, continued his good form in the Absa Premiership match at the Giyani Stadium on Friday night.

He and Mpho Maleka each bagged a brace, as Moroka Swallows went to second place in the league standings when they thrashed Black Leopards 5-2. As early as the sixth minute, the Dube Birds were in the thick of things when Leopards' one midfielder, Luyolo Mapolisa, was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the penalty area. Swallows' attacking player, Lerato Chabangu, unleashed a 25-metre shot from the set piece, which Leopards keeper Posnett Omony parried across the post for a corner.

No goals were scored in the first half. Swallows took the lead in the 57th minute.  An in-swinging corner kick by Joseph Makhanya was met by Georgi Nergadze at the near post and headed high into the roof of the net. The Birds, who were creating numerous chances at this point, doubled their lead in the 70th minute. A pinpoint free-kick from the right wing by Chabangu was headed home by an unmarked Nomvethe to make it 2-0 . Shortly thereafter, Chabangu caused trouble in the Leopards box and poor clearance by a Leopards defender brought the ball into the path of Nomvethe, who coolly slotted home from close range to make it 3-0 in the 80th minute. That was Nomvethe's 18th goal of the season.

Two minutes later, Maleka chipped the ball over the head of the Leopards keeper. He then equalled Nomvethe’s match haul when Oscar Machapa went past a few Leopards defenders on the right wing and supplied an unmarked Maleka in the box, who made it 5-0 in the 85th minute.

Nkhatha then proved to be an inspired substitution for Leopards, when he beat the off side-trap and slotted the ball beyond Etafia to make it 5-1 in the 86th minute. Nkhatha had another chance and again left the Swallows defenders for dead and beat Etafia in the 92nd minute to score his brace. Swallows are now two points behind the leaders, Orlando Pirates. (BackpageTxt)