Johannesburg – Neither Ajax Cape Town nor the University of Pretoria were able to muster any goals as their clash at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday ended in a 0-0 draw.
On the balance of play it was a fair result from a keenly contested match which, however, lacked in spark and creativity around both boxes.
The opening stanza saw both sides unable to pose much of a threat in the respective final thirds of the field as goal-scoring chances were at a premium.
After a cagey opening to the match on a hot day in the Mother City, the hosts had the first chance of the game, but Tashrique Morris pulled a low angled drive wide of the far post.
Tuks had their first effort on goal in the 19th minute when Atusaye Nyondo found space inside the Ajax box, but after bringing down the ball on his chest, the former SuperSport United man sent his parting shot wide of goal.
Another chance came the way of the visiting team when in the 23rd minute Thabo Mosadi sprinted clear down the right flank before picking out Raymond Monama at the back post, but Ajax keeper Anssi Jaakkola showed great reflexes to claw Raymond Monama's volley away from goal.
Ten minutes later and the Tshwane side were again on the attack as Thabo Mnyamane left his marker for dead, before then sliding a 25-yard drive just marginally wide.
There were a couple more half chances for Tuks towards the end of the half, but Jaakkola was not overly extended.
Morris was to have the first chance of the second stanza, but after the ball had broken kindly to him on the edge of the box, a rush of blood to the head resulted in the ball ending up in the stands.
Mosadi then came close for the Gauteng team when he sent a shot just a foot wide of the upright, with Jaakkola struggling to make up the ground.
But like the first half, chances remained few and far between as the two sides effectively cancelled each other out tactically.
Captain Dominic Isaacs came closest to winning the game for the Urban Warriors, but was unlucky to see his 75th minute shot skimming the upright with Tuks keeper Washington Arubi well beaten.
The closing moments of the match were absorbing as Ajax in particular pushed for a winner, but the closest they came was when Simbarashe Sithole's shot was deflected onto the roof of the net.
The result sees Ajax remaining in 10th spot, with 28 points, while AmaTuks are one point and one position back. – Sapa