Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu played to a 2-2 draw in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday evening.
January signings Glody Lilepo, Thabo Cele and Tashreeq Morris were all given their first starts for the Soweto giants following the weekend's Soweto Derby.
Chiefs fancied yet another fast start over Usuthu when successive efforts by Yusuf Maart and Lilepo forced goalkeeper Richard Ofori to a double save in the opening three minutes.
The bright spell continued to fire up the host who came close again moments later where Mduduzi Shabalala slammed Lilepo's cutback into the side-netting.
New boy Morris proved decisive when he towered above Ofori in the centre of the box and forced Ramahlwe Mphahlele to find his own net.
Usuthu wouldn't be behind for long as Rowan Human's first-time pass allowed Tshepang Moremi to race clear and beat the on-rushing goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma for his first league goal of the campaign.
Lilepo's first telling sight to goal came just under five minutes to halftime through a first-time shot on the edge of the box, but Ofori got down and parried.
Chiefs made a substitution at halftime and re-shuffled the team, as Sibongiseni Mthethwa came in for Shabalala, with the visitors unchanged.
The host were stunned ten minutes after the break when new boy Elmo Kambindu arrived unmarked to the near post and nodded in a corner-kick.
However, the Amakhosi replied in the matter of minutes as Usuthu's inability to clear their lines led goalkeeper Ofori to palm Lilepo's effort into his own net.
Moremi nearly restored the lead just moments later with a low shot from a tight angle, but he was denied by the foot of the post.
Chiefs piled extensive amount of pressure on the visitors in the hope of levelling, but substitutes Gaston Sirino and Ranga Chivaviro lacked the accuracy.
Sirino missed another golden chance in added time where he lashed a corner to the near post wide of target, as the two sides settled for a share of the spoils.
Confirmed line-ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma, Cross, Frosler, Miguel, Dortley, Maart, Cele, Mmodi, Shabalala, Morris, Lilepo
Subs: Petersen, Dithlokwe, Kwinika, Mthethwa, Zwane, Sirino, Potsane, Vilakazi, Chivaviro
AmaZulu: Ofori, Jooste, Fielies, Mphahlele, Hanamub, Motshwari, Zungu, Ekstein, Moremi, Kambindu, Human
Subs: Mothwa, Gumede, Mgonyama, Ngobeni, Brooks, Ngema, Mbanjwa, Sithole, Ighodaro