Swallows FC and SuperSport United settled for a share of the spoils after playing to a goalless draw at Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday evening.
With the transfer ban lifted, Swallows debuted Evans Rusike and Sipho Sibiya whilst young Neo Rapoo made a first start for United with Thatayaone Ditlhokwe given a first outing since the turn of the year.
SuperSport started with a lot of intent in the opening ten minutes and were fortunate not to go ahead when a fierce shot from range by Aubrey Ngoma hit the upright and bounced back in play.
Yet another chance came for Ngoma when on the 20th minute mark where the flying winger slammed a cutback from the right of the area well over the top of Thakasani Mbanjwa’s goal.
No decent openings for the host followed around the half-hour mark leaving Rusike particularly isolated up front, while Mbanjwa pulled to the near post to smother Bradley Grobler’s telling header.
Swallows needed to do a substitution a minute to halftime after Kagiso Malinga succumbed through a knock and saw the bulky Waseem Isaacs come on to take his place.
The visitors were close to going ahead five minutes in the second half from a low free-kick outside the area by Grobler, but Mbanjwa pushed across the near post and denied the forward.
Grobler fashioned in another chance from yet another ball in space in the six-yard area, but he directed wide of target on this particular occasion.
With chances limited and the contest tight, Matsatsantsa decided to give new Senegalese striker Marmour Niang who joined this week a debut.
No goals followed as the clock ticked away and thus the two sides decided to play to a goalless draw as United missed out on second spot with Swallows in the bottom-two.
Confirmed line-ups:
Swallows: Mbanjwa, Lukhubeni, Sibiya, Allan, Sasman, Zulu, Mthethwa, Mtshali, Malinga, Wambi, Rusike
Subs: Tshabalala, Isaacs, Shwabule, Sait, Musonda, Patjie, Mngonyama, Matsheke.
SuperSport United: Goss, Ditlhokwe, Fleurs, Margeman, Gabuza, Ngoma, Ndlovu, Lungu, Rapoo, Johannes, Grobler
Subs: Chigova, Maswanganyi, Kewuti, Maseko, Rayners, Nhlapo, Webber, Sibanyoni, Niang
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