SuperSport United were left to rue their missed opportunities as they played out to a goalless draw against a 10-man Moroka Swallows side at the Rand Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts were forced to play a large portion of the game with 10 men after defender Ashley Opperman was given his marching orders in the 35th minute after a second bookable offence.
SuperSport striker Lungisani Ndlela started the game against his old club, but was unable to get on the score sheet as he squandered numerous opportunities.
In the third minute he should have given the Pretoria side the lead, but failed to beat Birds keeper Conrad Hendricks in a one-on-one situation.
In the eighth minute Swallows midfielder Cecil Oerson wasted a chance for his side when he shot wide of the target after being set up by Gary McNab.
Opperman did well to keep his side in the game when he cleared Richard Rantjie's effort off the line in the 31st minute, however, only four minutes later he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Tico-Tico Bucaune should have given Matsatsantsa the lead in the 49th minute, but shot wide of goal with his follow up shot after Hendricks had done well to block his initial effort.
McNab then missed two chances in quick succession for Swallows when he headed over the crossbar and then ballooned his shot from close range after Calvin Marlin had spilled Edzai Kasinauyo's free kick.
With the game drawing to a close, Ndlela twice missed squandered opportunities when he headed over the bar and then saw Hendricks block another effort.
United continued to apply pressure and in the 88th minute substitute Dale Studinski watched in disbelief as he narrowly missed the target.
Just before the full-time whistle SuperSpiort thought they had grabbed the winner when Hendricks spilled the ball, however the referee judged that the keeper had kept the ball out of the net, despite United's protests that the ball had crossed the line.
By Patrick Zikalala
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