Maritzburg United and Swallows had to settle for a share of the spoils in the DStv Premiership after they played out to a goalless draw at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday evening.
The two opposing goalkeepers only had a couple of saves to make each as the Team of Choice and the Dube Birds squandered multiple chances, with Leletu Skelem missing an open goal in the second half.
John Maduka’s side are now winless after three matches and occupy 12th position ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, five places and three points adrift of Swallows.
Maritzburg were desperate to pull away from the bottom-end of the table after failing to pick up a win in their opening two games, while Swallows looked to build on Tuesday’s dramatic victory over Cape Town City.
Both teams gave as good as they got in the opening stages without threatening each other’s goal as the battle for dominance ensued.
The first real chance finally arrived in the 28th minute and it came the way of the hosts, with Karim Kimvuidi dragging a shot wide of the right post on his weaker left foot following a corner.
The KZN outfit threatened again two minutes later when Skelem hit a shot on the turn from inside the box that had to be saved by Thakasani Mbanjwa and Brian Hlongwa directed a header wide of the left post from the resulting corner.
The visitors hadn’t made much headway in the final third but they finished the half strongly and had three sniffs at goal in the closing stages. After Lindokuhle Mtshali missed the target from range, Siboniso Mtshali steered a header over the crossbar from a free-kick and then forced King Ndlovu into a smart save with another headed attempt from Givemore Khupe’s cross.
Swallows substitute Tlakusani Mthethwa looked to make an immediate impact in the second half with a strike from long range that sailed over the goal on 49 minutes, while Hlongwa was again guilty of failing to hit the target with a header from a 53rd-minute free-kick.
Maritzburg were gaining the upper hand now and Bonginkosi Makume came close to breaking the deadlock on 61 minutes as he steered a header narrowly beyond the left post from a free-kick.
Skelem should have opened the scoring eight minutes later but he somehow contrived to fire over the bar from inside the box with the goal at his mercy.
Lebohang Lesako almost snatched the winner against the run of play just five minutes after his introduction from the visitors’ bench, although Ndlovu was well placed to hold onto his long-range shot.
Thabo Moloisane spurned a glorious chance to clinch maximum points for the Team of Choice three minutes from time when he headed a corner wide of the right post from close range.
