Pretoria – The University of Pretoria continued their unbeaten run as they held fellow Pretoria outfit SuperSport United to a 0-0 draw at the Tuks Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.
With four points from their first two games, Amatuks impressed with a solid defensive line and showed why they were crowned National First Division (NFD) champions last season and were promoted to the Premier League.
After an uneventful opening period, the match was stopped due to a bizarre injury to one of the linesman, who fell awkwardly and was forced to abandon his role in the day's fixture as he was stretchered off and played no further role in the match.
Tuks started the better of the sides and looked lively throughout the early exchanges but failed to make their chances pay as poor passing and a lack of communication let them down.
Tuks' skipper Junior Sibande came closest for the home side with a free-kick just outside the United area which went narrowly high and wide as a relieved Rowen Fernandez watched it safely over.
Matsatsantsa seemed to wake from their slow start and shortly after Sibande's effort, Franklin Cale dispatched a free-kick goalwards but straight into Amatuks goalkeeper Washington Arubi's arms.
The second half started much same the way as the first, with neither side able to expose the opposition defence.
Amatuks started to grow in confidence and attacked with more meaning as the half progressed. Dipsy Selolwane was the first to force a save from Fernandez, who dived to his right to keep Selolwane's effort out after picking up a clinical pass from Thokozani Sekotlong.
The save from Fernandez and a continued passage of pressure from the University side led to a shot from Lionel Mutizwa which missed to the right of the goals, but signaled a shift in momentum as Tuks showed their growing confidence over their Pretoria neighbours.
The hosts maintained the pressure but SuperSport's backline ensured Fernandez had a quiet spell midway through the second period.
Fernandez was, however, called into action five minutes from time as Diyo Sibisi's solid header from a David Radebe cross was saved by the former Bafana Bafana shot-stopper, who juggled the ball but kept his side in the tie with a fine save. – Sapa