Chippa United and TS Galaxy played out a goalless stalemate in their DStv Premiership meeting at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Chilli Boys bounced back from a weekend defeat at the hands of Maritzburg United, while the Rockets stretched their unbeaten start to the 2022-23 campaign to five matches, but will be disappointed at having played to a second successive 0-0 draw after being held at Golden Arrows in their previous outing.
The result allows the Eastern Cape hosts to rise to 13th on five points, while Galaxy are fifth on nine points – just two points off the pace of log leaders Orlando Pirates, and having played a game less.
Chippa looked to get off to a fast start and had the first shot on target as early as the opening minute, with Diego Appollis stinging the palms of Galaxy goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi.
And Chippa shot-stopper Sipho Chaine was also called into action in the opening phase of the match, producing a fine save to turn away a shot from Galaxy’s Lindokuhle Mbatha in the 10th minute.
The back-and-forth nature of the game continued with the Chilli Boys’ Andile Mbenyane shooting wide and Azola Matrose seeing an effort well blocked, before the Rockets’ Mlungisi Mbunjana was inches away from breaking the deadlock with a drive that hit the upright in the 21st minute.
Galaxy had further chances through Mbatha and Sibusiso Vilakazi, while Chippa’s liveliest player heading into the final minutes of the first half was Thulani Mini, whose busy movement and knack for finding space troubled the away side’s defence.
Nonetheless, the match reached the interval with the teams still locked at 0-0.
The visitors opted for a change in attack at the start of the second half, with Keletso Makgalwa replacing Vilakazi, while the hosts waited until just after the hour mark to shuffle their pack with the introduction of Khanyisile Mayo and Elmo Kambindu.
Galaxy’s ability to carve out chances, as they did in the first half, dried up in the second, with Chippa closing the space between their lines and allowing their opponents less time on the ball.
The hosts themselves looked to offer a different challenge to the Rockets when they introduced the likes of Ronaldo Maarman in midfield and Siphelele Luthuli in attack, but they also struggled to find a way past the defence.
The Chilli Boys did have one notable heart-stopping moment at the back when a mix-up almost gifted Galaxy an opening in the 80th minute, but Chaine recovered well to clear the danger, leaving the game to end in a 0-0 draw.
The teams will return to DStv Premiership action on Saturday 3 September, with Chippa visiting Golden Arrows and Galaxy hosting Cape Town City.
Chippa United 0
TS Galaxy 0
Chippa: Chaine, Chabalala, Mathiane, Ntsabo, Mini (Mayo 62’), Banda (Pietersen 76’), September, Mdunyelwa, Mbenyane (Maarman 76’), Matrose (Luthuli 76’), Appollis (Kambindu 62’)
Galaxy: Buthelezi, Munyai, Sanoka, Msimango, Nyama, Teto (Sebelebele 66’), Mbunjana, Aubaas (Hlongwane 74’), Mlambo, Mbatha (Mongae 74’), Vilakazi (Makgalwa 46’)