Chiefs miss out on top eight again after draw with Polokwane

Kaizer Chiefs finished outside the top eight of the Betway Premiership for the second successive season after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Polokwane City at the FNB Stadium where they were looking for their first win in eight league matches. 

A win would have ensured Amakhosi are in the top eight with 34 points but the point only left Nasreddine Nabi’s side in ninth spot with 32 points. Last season Chiefs finished in 10th position, their worst in the league. 

Chiefs created better chances in this match, but their poor finishing in both halves saw them sharing the spoils with Polokwane who were happy with the draw as it kept them in seventh spot on 34 points. 

Chiefs may still finish 10th again if Lamontville Golden Arrows win their unfinished match against SuperSport United that the PSL have not yet rescheduled.

With this draw Nabi’s future at Chiefs will continue to be in doubt though the club may decide to keep the Tunisian after he managed to break an unprecedented 10-year trophy drought after beating Orlando Pirates in the final of the Nedbank Cup early this month. 

The cup victory ensured Chiefs’ qualification for the Caf Confederation Cup next season where they will be accompanied by Stellenbosch FC whose 0-0 draw against Cape Town City was enough to see them finishing third for the second season in a row. Stellies were helped by Arrows who beat a nine-man Sekhukhune 3-2 in Durban. 

With Richards Bay beating relegation-threatened SuperSport 2-0 in Polokwane, Chiefs’ draw was never going to be enough to help them break into the top eight. Bay’s victory ensured they are in eighth position and their better (+5) goal difference is likely to keep them there even if Arrows beat SuperSport in their final match.

With Mamelodi Sundowns having won the league for the eighth successive time and Orlando Pirates secured in second spot to qualify for the Caf Champions League for a third consecutive season, what remains to be confirmed is the club that will finish in 15th spot and go to the dreaded promotion/relegation playoffs against two Motsepe Foundation Championship clubs that finished second and third. 

Cape Town City are not 100% safe yet from finishing 15th despite moving to 14th after their 0-0 against Stellies on Saturday. A draw for SuperSport in their final match against Arrows will move them above City on goal difference and save them from going to the playoffs.

Pirates have a chance to finish the season on 63 points and 10 behind the champions Sundowns if they beat Magesi in their final league match in Orlando on Wednesday.

ALL PSL RESULTS 

• Arrows 3 Sekhukhune 2;
• SuperSport 0 Richards Bay 2;
• AmaZulu 1 Orlando Pirates 1;
• Magesi 1 Marumo Gallants 1;
• Cape Town City 0 Stellenbosch FC 0;
• Chiefs 0 Polokwane 0