Battle of the students ends goalless
Bidvest Wits and the University of Pretoria played to an entertaining 0-0 draw at the Bidvest Stadium in an Absa Premiership match on a bitterly cold Wednesday night in Johannesburg.
In the opening minute of the match Wits were unlucky not to take the lead after Papy Faty forced Washington Arubi into multiple close-range saves in the six-yard box.
In the 20th minute, Wits had an opportunity from a set piece when the visitors failed to clear, but Sibusiso Vilakazi shot high into the stands from just outside the box.
Three minutes later Matthew Pattison could have put the Clever Boys in front via a spectacular effort when he saw his in-swinging corner tipped over the bar by Washington.
Ramahlwe Maphalele tested Wits keeper Ryan Harrison, who had been on holiday so far in the match, with a snap shot from 30-yards out on the right wing, but the keeper held the stinging ball with ease in the 28th minute.
In the 35th minute Tuks’ towering forward Mame Niang then won a high ball when he got in-between Wits centre-backs Thomas Sweswe and Aaron Mokoena. He brilliantly controlled the ball and unleashed a left footed effort from six-yards which Harrison held onto.
Four minutes before the interval Ryan Chapman broke free and tested the Tuks keeper with a low left footed shot which the keeper got under and saved.
Five minutes into the second half, AmaTuks orchestrated a nice move in midfield led by Dipsey Selolwane and Mphahlele, but David Radebe with the final shot was easily grabbed by Harrison.
In the 75th minute Vilakazi found some space in the middle of the park, but he replicated his first half effort when he skied the ball over the bar.
Three minutes later Selolwane benefited from a Niang headed pass and forced the match’s best save out of Harrison from 25-yards with the Wits keeper parrying the ball out for a corner.
In the 84th minute Niang almost stole three points for the visitors when he agonisingly went close with a header from a corner-kick with Harrison looking beaten.
Bidvest Wits (0)0
University of Pretoria (0)0
Bidvest Wits: Harrison, Gumede, Mokoena, Pattison (Fredericks 88’), Kadi (Koapeng 66’), Vilakazi, Sweswe, Chapman, Faty (Seedat 60’), Nato, Molekwane
University of Pretoria: Arubi, Mphahlele, Shoyisa, Mkhwanazi, Ngoma, Matsi, Ketjijere, Selolwane (Zungu 78’), Radebe (Mutizwa 60’), Lubelo (Mosadi 72’), Niang
