KwaZulu-Natal rivals AmaZulu and Golden Arrows opened their year with a goalless draw in the Betway Premiership on Saturday afternoon.
Usuthu made only one enforced change from their narrow win over Cape Town City, as Abbubaker Mobara replaced the suspended Ben Motshwari, with Etiosa Ighodaro spearheading the attack.
Arrows also kept the same side that drew against Polokwane City, with former Kaizer Chiefs striker Ryan Moon at the tip of their attack.
Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi's charges were quick off the blocks, as the likes of Rowan Human and Ighodaro forced goalkeeper Ismail Watenga into early saves.
Hendrick Ekstein was unfortunate moments later not to send AmaZulu ahead after he had a shot that came off the crossbar.
Arrows only got into the game towards the half-hour mark but they did trouble shot-stopper Richard Ofori.
Abafana Bes'thende had the momentum in the latter phase of the first stanza and Angelo Van Rooi had a chance to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a shot in the box that was kept out by Ofori.
Neither side could get momentum early in the second stanza and just after the hour-mark, AmaZulu made an attacking change, as Celimpilo Ngema came on for Mondli Mbanjwa to add bite up top.
Usuthu started to be more on the ball after that, looking for pockets of space to release the likes of Ekstein and Ighodaro.
AmaZulu should have been 1-0 up with ten minutes remaining after Ighodaro latched onto a square pass by Riaan Hanamub but his first-time shot inside the six-yard box came off the underside of the crossbar.
Arrows changed the shape of their attack in the dying minutes after they brought on Tebogo Tlolane in place of Siyanda Mthanti, looking to steal the game on counter-attacks.
The game was on the edge in the tail end but no team was clinical, as they shared the spoils.
Confirmed line-ups:
AmaZulu: AmaZulu: Ofori, Jooste, Hanamub, Fielies, Mphahlele, Mobara, Moremi, Ekstein, Ighodaro, Mbanjwa, Human
Subs: Mothwa, Gumede, Ngobeni, Mngonyama, Zungu, Ngema, Brooks, Ngubane, Mashigo
Golden Arrows: Watenga ,Shitolo, Phillips, S.Cele, Dube, Van Rooi, Mantshiyane, Ndwandwe, Sibiya, Mthanti, Moon
Subs: Maova, Theron, Lukhele, Dlamini, Ncube, Mchunu, Tlolane, Malinga, Zwane