Three-time Varsity Football champions UP-Tuks locked horns with former defending champions UWC on quest to secure back-to-back wins in the opening round robin games of Varsity Football campaign.

Sluggish start

The home side made a sluggish start, conceding a penalty inside the opening five minutes after Jason Cox was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the box. Relebohile Matima stepped up from the spot with a chance to put the visitors ahead, but his effort towards the far post was brilliantly kept out by Gennaro Johnson, who produced a fine save to deny him.

The Stripe Generation looked to have found their mojo in the 20th minute posing their first threatening attack. Sinalo Nyawose found himself alone in the box but fired wide out. The closely contested stanza ended deadlocked at the break.

Tuks returned from the tunnel rejuvenated unleashing Matome Rangata and Chuene Moabelo to reinforce their attack.

The duo posed early threat with Rangata breaking UWC defence but failing to feed the attacking players in the box. UWC remained composed at the back and relied on counter attack and were immediately rewarded for their efforts.

Stripe generation

The Stripe Generation committed numbers forward as they searched for an early breakthrough, but it was UWC who struck first. Substitute Tyrese Davids broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, racing onto a counter attack before calmly lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to give UWC a 1-0 lead.

UWC found themselves stranded and committed a foul making the first booking of the match when Luphulo Zini fouling Risen Albert. Tuks kept asking questions to the UWC, but their efforts never materialize as the visitors took a 1-0 victory.

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