Mamelodi Sundowns preserved their unbeaten away record in the DStv Premiership this season after playing a barren draw with Swallows FC on Saturday.
Having won the title during the week, Sundowns fielded an entirely different team while Swallows made four changes. Zaphaniah Mbokoma, Ruzaigh Gamildien, Kgaogelo Sekgota and Njabulo Ngcobo were brought into the starting line-up.
Expectedly, it was Masandawana who had the lion share of the possession in the opening exchanges and that simply became a pattern for the game as it progresses.
Downs goalie Reyaad Piterse was called into action in the eighth minute, with Musa Nyatama forcing him into making the first save of the match when he tested the goaltender from distance.
It was Swallows who were looking for a way through and Kgaogelo Sekgota went for goal from the edge of the box, but his effort went wide. However, Sundowns soon had their own attempt on goal when Peter Shalulile pulled the ball back for Aubrey Modiba who had his goal bound effort blocked by the defender.
It was an entirely cagey game with limited space and chances but when Lebohang Maboe won a free-kick off Gamildien before the break and Lakay’s in-swinger was headed over by Mosa Lebusa.
Some minutes before the halftime break, Modiba had an effort from distance, but goalkeeper Sanele Tshabalala did enough to tip it over the cross bar for a corner. After that moment of action, nothing much happened again as the game reached its halfway mark.
Modiba, who had been highly effective in the game, created a goal scoring chance for Rushine de Reuck to score from a set piece but his header flashed across the face of goal before going out of play.
In what could have been the game’s opener, Kagiso Malinga’s header had Pieterse beaten, but it came off the crossbar as Downs survived.
In the final moments of the game, Given Thibedi played a lovely ball to Fawaaz Basadien but the latter’s left footed strike from inside the box was well saved by Pieterse.
And that was the last action of the game with both sides settling for a share of the spoils as Swallows played their 19th draw of the DStv Premiership this season. No side has drawn more this term.