Kaizer Chiefs’ rivalry with Moroka Swallows might have none of the historic undertones that underpin their adversarial relationship with Orlando Pirates, but it is still one of the longest and alluring in the history of South African football.
Chiefs versus Swallows has been played for as long as Chiefs have been taking on Pirates and the pair have provided some of the great games over the years.
None more so than the JPS Knockout Cup (now Carling Knockout) in 1986 where an estimated crowd of 80 000 crammed into Ellis Park for the second leg of the final, unofficially then the largest attendance in South African soccer.
It was a closely-fought affair that Chiefs edged 2-1 on aggregate and an awesome display of the attraction of the local game for supporters when the most popular clubs are all in top form.
Swallows will be hosting Chiefs this Sunday at Dobsonville Stadium in the latest instalment of a rivalry that began back in 1971 when the Birds were still known as Moroka Swallows Big XV. Both clubs were inaugural members of the National Professional Soccer League and competed against each other every season until 2015 when Swallows were relegated.
During that 44-year span, they put on some thrilling games for the fans, starting with their first meeting in early 1971 in the R400 Champion of Champions tournament at the Orlando Stadium, which served as a curtain-raiser for the new professional league that was launched two months later. Four clubs took part – Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Swallows Big XV and Pimville United Brothers – with Chiefs and the Birds meeting in the final, which proved a thriller as Chiefs beat Swallows Big XV 4-3, the winning goal scored by Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe a minute from time.
FIRST LEAGUE MEETING
The first league meeting between the clubs came in July 1971 with Swallows winning 4-2 in their home match at Orlando. Percy Moloi, who had made a surprise move from Orlando Pirates just two months earlier, scored twice for Swallows with Winston Radebe and Moses Maseko grabbing the other two while Ntsoelengoe replied for Chiefs.
Chiefs, however, finished the inaugural season two points above Swallows but both were surpassed by Pirates, the first NPSL champions
It was only in the fourth league meeting between the two clubs that Chiefs got their first league win over Swallows, and then slowly started enjoying hegemony, thrashing the Birds 9-4 on aggregate in the semifinal of the Champion of Champions, with Michael ‘Bizzah’ Dlamini scoring four of them.
From 1973 to 1977 there were two Swallows in the league – the stronger Big XV, later known as Swallows Ltd, and Moroka Swallows who won promotion. They had been born out of a split in the club’s ranks 10 years earlier,
At first, the newly promoted Moroka Swallows were told they had to change their name if they were to play in the league because Moroka Swallows Big XV were already in the top flight. But the issue mysteriously faded away and Swallows got to keep their name, playing out of Wattville stadium and later Dobsonville, while Swallows Big XV were based at Orlando.
THE NEW SWALLOWS
The new Moroka Swallows were handed a 7-1 thrashing by Chiefs in the 1974 season, with Abednigo ‘Shaka’ Ngcobo scoring three goals in 13 minutes, but at the end of 1975, Swallows Ltd had one of their most famous win over Chefs in the Top Eight Cup.
In the first leg of the final at KwaMashu, Swallows beat AmaKhosi 3-2 with an 85th-minute winner from Noble Maja but Chiefs were hot favourites for the return in Soweto as they had Brazilian World Cup winner Jairzinho lining up for them. But Chiefs were still beaten 2-0 by Limited as two goals from Andries Maseko secured the trophy for the Birds.
In 1976, the fastest goal in league history was recorded as Ngcobo took just 10 seconds to give Chiefs the lead in their meeting with Moroka Swallows at Vosloorus. At the of 1977, Swallows were relegated with Limited remaining as the NPSL went multi-racial with white teams joining their ranks.
But the clashes with Chiefs continued, notably in 1981, when goals from Nelson ‘Teenage’ Dladla gave Chiefs a 2-1 win over Swallows at Orlando and the league title in front of a capacity crowd.
POOR RESULTS
Since the advent of the National Soccer League in 1985, when clubs broke away from the NPSL and formed a new league, the results have not been as prolific for Swallows and their record against Chiefs over the last 40-odd years makes for poor reading.
In 88 past matches in both league and cup competition, Swallows have won only 14 times with 50 successes for AmaKhosi and 24 draws.
The 1986 JPS Knockout final was a legendary game and the next year the pair met in a final again, this time 3-1 in favour of Chiefs to win the Ohlsson’s Challenge where SuperSport analyst William Shongwe kept goal for the victors and was named Player of the Series.
The two clubs have not met in a cup final since the 1989 JPS final, which was played over two legs and ended 4-1 in favour of Chiefs with three of the goals coming from Shane MacGregor.
There were more bragging rights for Chiefs fans in March 2002 when their side thumped Swallows 5-1 away with Jabu Pule ruling the roost that day.
Swallows, after relegation in 2015, returned to the top flight in 2020 and can since then point to a much-improved record against Chiefs. They have played six matches over the last three seasons – avoiding each other in the various cup competitions – with two wins apiece and two draws. But their last clash in May, which Chiefs hosted in Polokwane, was won by the Birds with Bongani Sam scoring the first-half winner.