Tzaneen United were held to a goalless draw in Tzaneen derby against Nkowankowa Continental on Saturday.
By: Refilwe Sebola
The Tzaneen derby between Tzaneen United and Nkowankowa Continental failed to live up to expectations as the two ABC Motsepe League sides played out a goalless draw at Nkowankowa Stadium on Saturday.
In a match short on quality in the final third, both teams struggled to build meaningful attacks, with misplaced passes and a lack of creativity making it difficult for either side to take control of the contest.
Despite Tzaneen United’s historical dominance in the fixture, it was Continental who looked more likely to find the breakthrough. The hosts created the better scoring opportunities but could not convert them, leaving the match to end without a goal.
The encounter also marked Oruel Sambo’s return to the Tzaneen United dugout following the departure of Ludwick Tshamano Raselaya a week earlier.
Sambo came up against a familiar face in Continental coach Timmy Mashele, with the pair having previously worked together at the now-defunct Giyani Happy Boys FC. However, their familiarity with each other’s methods did little to produce an entertaining contest, as neither side could find a way past the opposition defence.
The result leaves Continental fifth on the league standings with five points, while Tzaneen United sit eighth with four points.
Continental have suffered just one defeat so far this season, while United have already lost twice.
Tzaneen United will now turn their attention to their next fixture, where they are scheduled to host Musina United in Sekororo. Continental, meanwhile, travel to Venda to take on ABC FC.