Stellenbosch FC and Egyptian giants Zamalek drew 0-0 in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday afternoon.
Four changes by the Maroons from the loss to Magesi FC saw Kazie Enyinnaya, Fawaaz Basadien, Genino Palace and Ashley Cupido return to the starting line-up.
After a cagey opening, the North African outfit began to come alive and enjoyed moments to going ahead but a combination of poor finishing let them down.
However, there were no clear-cut chances throughout the course of the earlier exchanges, leaving the balance of the encounter firmly tensed on all sides.
Cupido looked to change it all minutes ahead of halftime through a speculative attempt from around the six-yard area, but went well past the goal of Mohamed Awad Moussa.
There were no substitutions from either dugout ahead of the second period, with the initial eleven that started proceedings given another run-out.
Stellenbosch continued to have the better of the chances earlier on after the break through Cupido, Palace, Devon Titus and Andre De Jong.
The White Knights proved a difficult customer and gave the Egyptian giants no space to penetrate nor get in any potent positions in the latter third of the field.
Coach Steve Barker looked to bench around the midway point of the clash and introduced Ibraheem Jabaar in the place of hard-running midfielder Palace.
It remained a tight set of affairs in the closing exchanges with the White Knights effective in the wide channels and delivering probing balls in the attacking-third.
This variation nearly paid dividends ten minutes to the end after Ahmed Sayed cut inside on the right to deliver a floating cross, but Sage Stephens courted timeously.
Stephens made himself big again five minutes later and produced a point-blank save to deny Nasser Mansi profiting off the head from the six-yard box.
The Maroons didn't succumb to the pressure thrown their way and came away with a stalemate as the return-leg takes place next Wednesday in Cairo.
Confirmed line-ups:
Stellenbosch FC: Stephens, Basadien, Toure, Enyinnaya, Nduli, Khiba, Moloisane, Palace, Titus, De Jong, Cupido
Subs: Masuluke, Mdaka, Lekoloane, Phili, Butsaka, Barns, Mcaba, Jabaar, Nku.
Zamalek: Awad, El Wensh, Abdelmaguid, Moussaddaq, Fatou, Gaber, Dunga, Shehata, Zizou, Shalaby, Jaziri
Subs: Sobhi, Hossam, El Zenary, Hamdy, Gehad, Mahmoud, Gaafar, Maher, Mansy.