CAPE TOWN – Bidvest Wits and Chippa United shared the spoils after a goalless draw in their PSL Absa Premiership clash at the Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg, on Saturday evening.
The match stats show that eventually there were only four shots on target in the entire match, and the teams shared the count. Also, Wits were ahead on the shots off target with a 6-0 margin.
Against this background, it was no small wonder that first-half play failed to produce a score after the teams managed just one shot on goal (by Chippa) between them in 48 minutes of playing time.
Wits, the dominant team in the first half, struck three shots but all were off target. They forced three corners against none from Chippa, but they were not able to use the set-piece to their advantage.
The lone first-half yellow card went to Wits central defender Buhle Mkhwanazi on the stroke of halftime.
In the second half, Chippa midfielder William Twala managed to work his way down the left channel out wide before setting himself for a 51st-minute strike. However, Wits keeper Brandon Petersen stood his ground and averted the danger.
On the hour mark, Wits made their first substitution as Mxolisi Macuphu makes way for Mozambican Bienvenu Eva Nga to beef up their otherwise anaemic attack.
The change did help Wits to up their tempo and from around the 70th minute onwards they created pressure spells which opened scoring opportunities as Chippa's defence suddenly looked vulnerable.
However, Wits' attack failed to capitalise and eventually they had to share the spoils with Chippa, who were reduced to 10 players three minutes from the end after Gaona Modisane picked up a second bookable offence in the second half.