#TuksFootball: UP-Tuks and TUT thriller ends in an exciting draw

Posted on July 28, 2017

The result of Varsity football-clash between UP-Tuks and TUT last night certainly proved that there is real truth in the saying about some “Fat Lady” who has to sing before taking anything for granted
The statistics will show that the final score was 1-1, but numbers alone can never do justice to the drama that played out on the field.
 
Everybody expected the game the game between Pretoria’s two foremost universities to be a thriller. The 22 players on the field did not disappoint. In fact, they took entertainment to the next level. 
For the first 56 minutes, it was a game of attacks and counter attacks with some brilliant play on defence bordering on desperate at times.
 
Then it happened. Jeremiah Nkwana created the perfect goal scoring opportunity with a cross kick. Khumbulani Siluma kept a cool head steering the ball into the back of the net with a header.
Not Siluma or the excited fans would have known at the time that from a Tuks football perspective it was a historic moment. It was the first time since 2013 that UP-Tuks was able to score a goal against TUT in a Varsity Tournament Match.  
 
With the restart, the battle resumed in all earnest again but try as they may no player was able to score while the clock continued relentlessly to keep on ticking. It started to look as if Tuks had to revenge their defeat in the USSA-final. But the “Fat Lady had not sung yet.
 
 If you were a UP-Tuks supporter the dreaded moment happened in the 94th minute when Themba Ndlovu scored from a free kick to level the score. 
 
Lawrence Ntswane (UP-Tuks captain) deservedly received the Player of the Match Award.
 Tlisane Motaung (UP-Tuks Coach) agreed with the decision. 
 
“I don’t like singling players out, especially not in this game but Lawrence led by example.” Motaung was rightly disappointed about the match ending in a draw, but he drew comfort from the way his players performed. “They played good football, and I am confident that if they can keep at it, we will get the results we want. 
 
“Our next game is at home against the University of Johannesburg. It is going to be another tough game.”
- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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