SA glamour clubs end on low note

Chiefs finished ninth - their lowest placing ever

By Mark Gleeson in Cape Town

South Africa's two glamour sides, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, suffered embarrassing reversals on Tuesday as the curtain came down on the South African premier league season.

The two sides had basked in adulation on Saturday when a crowd of 75,000 packed Soccer City to watch them play in a goalless draw in the league.

On Tuesday there was only embarrassment for the clubs who have dominated the affection of the vast majority of South African supporters over the last three decades.

In the final match of the season, Pirates' lost 3-1 at home to Wits University to miss out on second place and, at the same time, condemn Chiefs to their lowest ever finish in the league.

Chiefs completed their programme on Saturday but needed Pirates to beat Wits University to ensure they finished in eighth and earn a place in the traditional Top Eight Cup in August.

Worst finish

Chiefs won the Top Eight Cup last year but will now not even get to defend it. Wits' win saw them leap frog to seventh and push Chiefs down to ninth, the worst finish for the club.

Pirates needed a win to ensure a second place finish behind already crowned champions Santos, but despite a 1-0 half-time lead they allowed Wits to storm back and score three goals after the break.

It means SuperSport United finished runners-up and qualify for next year's Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup. It is the best achievement yet for the Pretoria-based club, owned by South Africa' s satellite television channel.

Pirates were last month surprisingly eliminated at home in the second round of the African Champions League, a costly defeat which is likely to cost coach Jean-Yves Kerjean his job after just six months at the club.