Soweto - AmaZulu came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Moroka Swallows at the Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday night.
The match was tight throughout - with Stanley Kgatla and Tamsanqa Sangweni giving as good as they got against Lefa Tsutsulupa and MacBeth Sibaya in the middle of the park, not much was giving and chances remained few and far between.
The Birds were to score with their first real effort on goal as David Mathebula’s creativity opened up space for Siyabonga Nomvethe, who slammed a shot into the top corner, despite AmaZulu keeper Tapuwa Kapini getting a touch; 1-0 after 19 minutes.
Twenty minutes later and Kapini did well to deny Mathebula as he dived full length to his left to keep out the former Chiefs midfielder’s swerving shot.
For Usuthu, their efforts in attack lacked any real threat – for all Ayanda Dlamini’s willingness to try run and harass the home defence, they failed to test Swallows number one Greg Etafia.
The second half remained tight, with the sides cancelling each other out in midfield and not too much happening in the respective final thirds of the field.
But as the game entered the final 20 minutes, the momentum began to swing strongly in the Durban side’s favour.
They were back in the match on 75 minutes when Ayanda Dlamini played the ball across goal to provide Goodman Dlamini with an easy finish into an empty goal.
Five minutes later and Tangeni Shipahu thought he had put AmaZulu ahead when he burst through on goal and shot goal-wards, only for Greg Etafia to touch his effort onto the upright.
Both sides pushed for a winner, but the defences held firm and the score-line was not breached again.
For Swallows, the result saw them denied the chance to go up to third on the Absa Premiership table.
The match was tight throughout - with Stanley Kgatla and Tamsanqa Sangweni giving as good as they got against Lefa Tsutsulupa and MacBeth Sibaya in the middle of the park, not much was giving and chances remained few and far between.
The Birds were to score with their first real effort on goal as David Mathebula’s creativity opened up space for Siyabonga Nomvethe, who slammed a shot into the top corner, despite AmaZulu keeper Tapuwa Kapini getting a touch; 1-0 after 19 minutes.
Twenty minutes later and Kapini did well to deny Mathebula as he dived full length to his left to keep out the former Chiefs midfielder’s swerving shot.
For Usuthu, their efforts in attack lacked any real threat – for all Ayanda Dlamini’s willingness to try run and harass the home defence, they failed to test Swallows number one Greg Etafia.
The second half remained tight, with the sides cancelling each other out in midfield and not too much happening in the respective final thirds of the field.
But as the game entered the final 20 minutes, the momentum began to swing strongly in the Durban side’s favour.
They were back in the match on 75 minutes when Ayanda Dlamini played the ball across goal to provide Goodman Dlamini with an easy finish into an empty goal.
Five minutes later and Tangeni Shipahu thought he had put AmaZulu ahead when he burst through on goal and shot goal-wards, only for Greg Etafia to touch his effort onto the upright.
Both sides pushed for a winner, but the defences held firm and the score-line was not breached again.
For Swallows, the result saw them denied the chance to go up to third on the Absa Premiership table.