Niang brace sees Pretoria beat Swallows

Senegalese striker Mamadou Niang bagged a brace as South African Premiership newcomers Pretoria University shocked Moroka Swallows 3-2 at Dobsonville Stadium on Friday. Niang used his height to head Tuks in front twice only for the Dube Birds to equalise twice through Katlego Mashego and Bennett Chenene before Mpho Maruping snatched an 82nd-minute winner. The result gave Pretoria a share of first place on the table with Maritzburg United and Free State Stars, who drew 1-1 with a Mario Booysen goal for United cancelled within five minutes by Togolese Dove Wome. Each club has eight points after four rounds - one more than Kaizer Chiefs, who will reclaim top spot if they do not lose at home to Black Leopards at Soccer City Saturday. Wet, chilly early spring weather limited support for Swallows as they set out to build on a 3-0 thrashing of defending champions Orlando Pirates in their last league outing. But it took close-season signing Niang only ten minutes to open the scoring by nodding in a cross off the far post and he struck again before half-time with a looping header. Mashego struck midway through the opening half when he latched on to a free-kick and his deflected shot beat Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi, who had no chance when Chenene tapped home from close range on 78 minutes. Another Zimbabwean, Lionel Mutizwa, set up the decisive goal four minutes later with a defence-splitting pass and Maruping burst past a static defence to beat goalkeeper Aubrey Mathibe with an acute-angle shot. FIFA