Kaizer Chiefs have finished outside of the top eight in the DStv Premiership after losing 2-0 to relegated Cape Town Spurs.
DStv Premiership
Result: Cape Town Spurs 2-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 25 May 2024
Venue: DHL Stadium
The Soweto giants were without Edmilson Dove due to suspension, while Gadiel Kamagi and Liam Bern missed out on the final game due to suspension for the home side.
Chiefs gave a first league start to young Donay Jansen at right-back as Zitha Kwinika dropped to the bench, while Mduduzi Mdantsane and Sibusiso Mthethwe were back in the midfield.
Cavin Johnson's men had their top-eight fate in their own hands and they were unlucky not to get the breakthrough early on as Sithebe and Mdantsane were denied in the opening ten minutes.
The visitors managed to carve out an opening after 26 minutes but goalkeeper Neil Boshoff produced a good save to keep out Christian Saile in he box, as Chiefs upped the tempo.
Chiefs were made to rue that miss as Spurs took the lead nine minutes before the halftime break, with Ashley Cupido firing past Bruce Bvuma for his seventh league goal of the campaign.
Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson responded with a triple change at the break, as Yusuf Maart, Wandile Duba, Mfundo Vilakazi were introduced at the expense of Ranga Chivaviro, Mdantsane, Mthethwa.
The Soweto giants were finding it tough to carve out any clear-cut openings in the second period, as fans at the DHL Stadium began to grow frustrating with time running out.
It got worse for Chiefs with 15 minutes to play, as Michael Morton got himself a rare goal after the Amakhosi defence failed to clear their lines.
The visitors were unable to find a way back into the contest in the latter stages and had to settle for their 12th defeat of the league campaign.
The last time Chiefs finished outside of the top eight came in the 2018/2019 season.
Here's how they lined up:
Cape Town Spurs: Boshoff, Morton, Velebayi, Moosa, Dortley, Nkwali, Gumede, Mokeke, Maphathe, Butsaka, Cupido
Subs: Dlamini, Allie, Stander, Ryan, Radiopane, Mfecane, Braithewaite, Jakalshe, Maduna
Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma, Msimango, Jansen, Ditlhokwe, Hlanti, Mthethwa, Sithebe, Shabalala, Saile, Mdantsane, Chivaviro
Subs: Khune, Ngcobo, McCarthy, Kwinika, Castillo, Maart, Radebe, Vilakazi, Duba
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