Swallows vs Mamelodi Sundowns

GOAL rates the performances of Mamelodi Sundowns players following the team's win over Swallows FC on Wednesday.

Themba Zwane - 6/10 He grabbed two assists on the night. Andile Jali - 6/10 Brian Mandela - 7/10 Khuliso Mudau - 5.5/10 Reyaad Pieterse - 6/10

Peter Shalulile bagged a hat-trick as Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Swallows FC 4-2 at the Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday night.

Two minutes after half-time, Swallows were almost gifted a way back into the encounter. A corner was taken short and the ball went to George Maluleka, who delivered a perfect deep cross which Peter Shalulile headed home with ease for his 16th goal of the season. It was a highly entertaining encounter as Sundowns grabbed their third goal with not even half an hour gone on the clock. Swallows pulled a goal back a minute later. Both sides were looking lively in the opening exchanges. The Birds would deservedly get their second in the 89th minute when Ruzaigh Gamildien headed home from Mahlatsi's cross but the Brazilians crushed their hopes of a comeback when just a minute later Shalulile grabbed his hat-trick after finishing off a rebound from Zwane's initial attempt to wrap up the points. Rushine de Reuck made a terrible mistake as his back pass was cut out by Gamildien, who squared for Kagiso Malinga in the box but Pieterse made himself big and kept it out brilliantly to save his teammate's blushes. Dylan Kerr's influence was seeing Swallows play more expansively and great work by Mahlatsi on the byline set up Saleng for a big chance but he skied his shot over the bar when he should have done much better. A long ball was only half cleared by Swallows and it fell for Ralani, who cut past Solomons and fired left footed into the bottom corner. In the 52nd minute Kamohelo Mahlatsi released Monnapule Saleng down the left and he showed superb pace against De Reuck and drove a shot just wide of the far post. In the eighth minute a long pass from Andile Jali sent Shalulile racing in-behind the Swallows defence and he had Themba Zwane totally free for a square pass but he instead tried to shoot on his left and Thela Ngobeni got down to save. A lovely long pass over the top by Maluleka was expertly controlled by Shalulile, who half volleyed superbly past Ngobeni into the net.