Brazilians combine to clinch South African Cup for ´Birds´

Brazilians Igor Alves and Vinicius da Silva combined to score the goal that lifted Moroka Swallows to a 1-0 win over Pretoria University Saturday in the South African FA Cup final.

Pretoria goalkeeper Siya Mngoma failed to grasp an Alves free kick midway through the first half at Rand Stadium in the South African economic capital and Da Silva squeezed the ball over the line.

And the Brazilian connection did not end there as the Johannesburg-based ‘Birds’ are coached by Julio Leal, silver-haired older brother of South Africa assistant coach Jairo.

After collecting the 600,000-dollar first prize, Leal vowed that Swallows would compete in the African Confederation Cup next year and return to continental combat after a decade-plus absence.

South African clubs have traditionally shown little interest in the second tier African Football Confederation club competition, preferring to concentrate on more lucrative domestic offerings.

Second division outfit Pretoria, who claimed the scalps of Premiership sides Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic and Ajax Cape Town en route to the final, had scoring chances in a lively climax to the South African football season.

Zakhele Ndhlovu came closest nine minutes into the opening half with a shot that rebounded off the woodwork with Swallows Nigerian goalkeeper Greg Etafia helpless.

There was another scare for the ‘Birds’ 10 minutes into the second half when a Thabo Moleko shot appeared destined for the net until Namibian international Sydney Plaatjies scooped the ball off the line.

Hyper-active midfielder Moleko had a late chance to take the match into extra time before a near-capacity 22,000 crowd, but his header finished just off target.