Orbit College and Casric Stars started the PSL Promotion Play-Offs with a goalless draw in Rustenburg on Wednesday afternoon.
Surprisingly, the home team started key men Gomolemo Khoto on the bench, but had able inclusions such as Siyabulela Mabele and Letsie Koapeng, whilst Kermit Erasmus, Thabang Rakwena and Decide Chauke spear-headed the visitors’ attack.
Mabele looked to stamp authority in the opening seconds and fashioned in a ferocious shot from the area following a loose pass, but it was parried by goalkeeper Emile Lako Wendeu.
Both teams began to have a go at each other therefore - provided a lot of attacking intent and weren’t keen to sit back, play on the counter-attack.
Stars were inches away from the deadlock midway through the half when a long-range drive by Thabang Semache forced a smart outstretched save from Sekhoane Moerane.
Moerane made himself big again five minutes to halftime when he produced a finger-tip save to palm a pin-point header from Simon Fils Ndou Moukete.
Orbit revived their approach in the second half and removed veteran striker Koapeng for Khoto as well as Erasmus to bring on Reuben Kgabane.
Unlike the first half, the second stanza didn’t provide the same intensity and openings up top as the defences adopted a tight approach.
The promotion-chasing duo continued battling away as the minutes ticked on, and preferred to play each other on the low-block.
Stars looked to do a smash-and-grab five minutes to the break and with that introduced Abbey Sesane in place of fellow striker Chauke.
At the end, no winner emerged and saw the clash end in a share of the spoils with Betway Premiership boys Cape Town City up next for Orbit.
Photo by Philip Maeta/Gallo Images