Staff Reporter.
Cape Town City and Maritzburg United both remain winless after four games in the DStv Premiership after playing to a goalless draw at the DHL stadium on Tuesday night.
The Team of Choice were unfortunate not to score in the Mother City as they struck the frame of the goal once in each half on a night where both teams struggled in front of goal.
Eric Tinkler’s side remain rooted to the foot of the table on one point, while the KZN outfit edged up to 13th place in the standings following their third draw in four games.
City came into this clash desperate for a result after losing their opening three matches, while United were hoping to record their first win of the campaign.
The hosts would dominate possession in the first half, although it was John Maduka’s charges that came closest to breaking the deadlock.
The first opportunity of the night came the way of the Citizens after just six minutes when Marc van Heerden sent his free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.
There was a flurry of chances around the quarter-hour mark as Karim Kimvuidi steered a header to the left of the target from a corner before Brandon Theron struck the near post from an acute angle on the right moments later.
The action quickly switched to the other end, with Craig Martin flashing a shot on the turn just past the right post following good work on the right by Thamsanqa Mkhize.
After an uneventful spell, Tawanda Macheke sent a header over the bar from a free-kick in the 28th minute before another lull saw the two teams head into the halftime break all-square.
However, City threatened just moments after the restart as Van Heerden delivered a cross into the danger area for Khanyisa Mayo, who forced King Ndlovu into a save with a header.
Two Maritzburg substitutes looked to make an immediate impact following their introduction from bench on the hour mark, with Siboniso Conco firing wide of the goal from outside the box after being set up by Friday Samu.
The Citizens rode their luck once more on 66 minutes when Samu saw his header come back off the right post from a corner and it spurred them into action as Mkhize fired wide at the near post on 68 minutes before Van Heerden failed to keep his header down from a 74th-minute free-kick and Mayo dragged a shot wide of the right post from range soon afterwards.
Wayde Lekay almost snatched victory just moments after being brought on by Tinkler, but the substitute couldn’t keep his header down from Jordan Bender’s cross in the 82nd minute.
Conco was presented with a late chance to clinch all three points for the visitors after combining with Samu yet again, although he lacked composure as his shot flew over the crossbar from inside the area.