University of Pretoria fought back twice to draw 2-2 with the reserve side of POC Zwolle on Monday night in the first of their three friendly matches in Netherlands.
Tuks, who had to battle extreme freezing conditions in the match, were rewarded with the trip of a lifetime after winning the inaugural MultiChoice Diski Challenge (PSL reserve league) in February.
After a goalless first half, Zwolle took the lead two minutes after the restart when Kevin Menninga converted from the penalty spot. Tuks got the equaliser after the hour mark when Alan Robertson headed a corner into the back of the net.
Zwolle regained the lead two minutes later through Dimitri Ferferlis but Botshelo Mfulwane, who scored four goals in the Diski Challenge, found the equaliser in he 79th minute to earn the South Afrcans a well-deserved draw.
Tuks came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute when skipper Grant Kekana delivered a freekick but defender Robertson failed to connect at the far post.
Three minutes later, Steven Pereirra took a long range effort that went high and wide as the home side looked to unsettle the visitors.
An overlapping Itumeleng Nkwana fired a shot from outside the box in the 23rd minute but his effort narrowly missed the target.
WASTED OPPORTUNITY
The right-back then wasted a good opportunity with Dikgang Ngcobo and Denver Mukamba ten minutes later in a three-on-one break as they failed to take responsibilty until they were closed down.
Much as it was a friendly, there were few crunching tackles with Mfulwane at the receiving end of one from Aleksander Bjelica. Nkwana had also went hard on Karel Ijzerman earlier.
Mukamba got the final chance of the half after the ball fell into his path as the defence tried to clear but he shot straight at the keeper.
Zwolle were awarded a penalty in the 46th minute when Thulile Madena fouled Soufian Moro. Menninga stepped up to put the ball past Michael Faasen.
Mukamba directed his first-time volley over the bar after connecting with Mfulwane's cross in the 56th minute. Mfulwane then forced a great save from Nick Borgman three minutes later after taking a shot from the edge of the box.
The South Africans got the equaliser in the 61st minute when Madena's corner was headed in by Robertson. But the equaliser didn't last long as Ferfelis put Zwolle back into the lead two minutes later.
Tuks continued to surge forward with substitute Tebogo Galane coming close with his header in the 73rd minute before Mukamba sent his free kick just over the post four minutes later, with the goalkeeper well beaten.
Mfulwane brought Tuks level eleven minutes from time squeezing the ball between the keeper's legs after being put through by Mukamba.
Mfulwane was denied a penalty when he was fouled inside the box two minutes later, much to the disappointment of the South Africans' bench.
"We should have buried the many chances we had in the first half but overall we are pleased with the result. I'm happy with the performance, the boys pressed and squeezed them well to force them into mistakes which we equalised from," coach Sly Mosala said after the match.
Tuks will face SC Heerenveen on Wednesday in their second friendly.
Teams:
Zwolle: Borgman, Ehizibue, Pereirra, Bjelica, Ijzerman, Sjuntaro, Rasevic (c), Menninga, Moro, Ferfelis, Tekay
Subs: Hauptmeijer, Kroes, Edge, Lourenco, Achefay
Tuks: Faasen, Nkwana, Kekana (c), Roberson, Luthuli, Da Serra, Njokwe, Madena, Mfulwane, Mukamba, Ngcobo
Subs: Ngubeni, Sibande, Sihlangu, Andriamialy, Motlhasang, Galane
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