Round two of the 2022 Varsity Football tournament was a bit more tactical than round one, but the atmosphere in the stands was even more electric.
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Defending champions, the University of Johannesburg came from behind to pile more misery on record winners UP-Tuks, while the Noble Men from the NWU Mafikeng climbed to the top of the log.
The record-winners hosted the defending champions of the competition as both tried to recover from their first-round defeats at Tuks Stadium.
Tuks opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Captain, Nhlanhla Mabaso put the home side ahead.
The Orange Army though, found an equaliser in the 59th minute through Philane Masondo who finished off a great combination play after being set up with a cheeky back heel by Puleng Bapela.
UJ completed their turn-around in the 69th minute when Thulani Zandamela tapped in from close range following a huge blunder by the Tuks goalkeeper.
UJ made things worse for the hosts when Thanda Madiba netted his side’s third in injury-time, leaving the record champions at the bottom of the log with zero points and six goals conceded in just two matches.
2019 winners NWU Mafikeng were hosting last year’s runners-up, UFS Kovsies at Mafikeng Stadium.
Both teams started off with a win last week, but it was the Noble Men who made it two wins from two games on Thursday.
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The match was a rather cagey affair in the first half but NWU eventually scored the opener in the 68th minute, with Omphile Shuping finishing off a superb attack that started at the back.
The home side made it 2-0 just a few minutes later, thanks to a superb strike from outside the box by Lehlohonolo Mohlabai. The win saw NWU climb to the top of the log with six points.
In the early kick-off, Delron Buckley’s side welcomed the Educated Footballers at Peter Booysen Park as both sides were looking for their first win.
However, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, with both teams collecting their first point of this year’s tournament.
Two-time winners TUT met VUT at the TUT Stadium, trying to add onto their impressive first-round win against defending champions UJ.
Despite an entertaining first-half where both teams pushed at a frenetic pace and high-pressing tactics it remained 0-0 at the break.
The second half was more of the same with end to end action in the opening ten minutes but TUT had more of the clear-cut chances.
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The Red Army also saw a goal ruled out for off-side 15 minutes before time, but VUT managed to hold on for a valuable away point as both side’s remained unbeaten. I
t was the first 0-0 of this year’s Varsity Football competition, with both sides now sitting on four points from two games.
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