Absa Premiership

Result: SuperSport United 0-0 Moroka Swallows

Date: 11 May 2013

Venue: Lucas Moripe Stadium

In a rather dull affair, SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows played to a goalless draw in their Absa Premiership match on Saturday afternoon, helping neither side in their quest to finish in the top four.

The result coupled with Bidvest Wits 3-1 win over AmaZulu and Bloemfontein Celtic’s 2-2 draw with Free State Stars sees SuperSport in sixth place on 40 points, three behind fourth placed Wits, but having played a game less while Swallows sit in seventh spot on 39 points.

Both sides failed to take their chances in a scrappy encounter in a Saturday afternoon game that was characterised by poor finishing in front of goal.

Atusaye Nyondo had the only chance in the first 20 minutes, in a dull start to the game. The Malawian found a pocket of space inside the area in the first minute of the encounter but could only manage to direct a tame effort straight at Greg Etafia.

The Dube Birds struggled to find any room on the pitch and as a result the Soweton side’s first effort at goal only came in the 28th minute of the match. Dikgang Mabalane split the Matsatsantsa defence but the midfielder was unable to produce the finishing touch.

The first half ended goalless with both sides having to reflect on a poor first 45.

Swallows had an opportunity to open the scoring in the 55th minute of the match. Roger da Costa, though, was unable to get on the end of a Bennett Chenene cross.

Second half substitute Thabiso Nkoana had two opportunities to open the scoring for Matsatsantsa just after the hour mark. The striker could only manage to head wide from close range from a Maluleke cross before failing to hit the target with a curling effort after slicing through the Dube Birds defence minutes later.

Swallows survived a late scare just before the end of the match as Nkoana totally miscued his effort with only the goalkeeper to beat.