Golden Arrows and Royal AM shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw in the KwaZulu-Natal derby on Saturday afternoon.
First-choice Sifiso Mlungwana made way for Olufemi Kayode in the notable change for Arrows, while Motebang Sera, Shadrack Kobedi and Mondli Mpoto set out the visitors eleven.
Mpoto made his presence known on five minutes where he swiftly moved out of the area to distract Nhlanhla Zwane making the breakthrough early on.
Sera went looking to make the breakthrough seven minutes apart off a header in the box, but he didn’t manage to hit target.
Abafana Besthende grabbed the initiative in the 14th minute albeit in fortuitous circumstances where Zukile Mkhize guided a snap shot from Lungelo Nguse in their own net.
With a water-break called, Abafana Besthende were on the ropes afterwards and invited Thwihli Thwahla space to come forward and get a few shots in.
The travelling outfit were though required to make a change on the stroke of halftime after Mkhize was stretchered off following a knock and replaced by Khulekani Shezi.
Substitute Shezi made good to his arrival five minutes past the interval when he turned up on the near side to curl a first-time shot into the top corner.
It became quiet an end-to-end battle with chances coming the way of both teams but the end product to execute those openings lacked immensely.
Abafana Besthende very nearly conceded a second in the final minutes through a curling free-kick from a tight angle by Ruzaigh Gamildien, but it came off the side-netting.
The winner didn’t come despite the efforts following the closing exchanges and left the spoils shared between the provincial rivals.
Confirmed line-ups:
Golden Arrows: Kayode, Cele , Mantshiyane, Shitolo, Theron, Mthanti, Mutizwa, Sibiya, Dube, Zwane, Nguse
Subs: Watenga, Zuke, Mwengani, Malinga , Tlolane, Ncube , Moon, Van Rooi
Royal AM: Mpoto, Jiyane, Mabuza, Matlaba, Mkhize, Msomi, Kobedi, Mahlasela, Maxwele, Mashiane, Sera
Subs: Nyame, Manganyi, Shezi, Masuku, Ncobeni, Mpisane, Thikazi, Ndlovu, Gamildien
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