Benni McCarthy of AmaZulu. Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo via BackpagePix
CAPE TOWN – Following Wednesday night’s penultimate round of DStv Premiership fixtures, AmaZulu join Mamelodi Sundowns in the elite Champions League next season, and victorious Orlando Pirates will settle for the lesser Confederation Cup competition.
There is one more Confederation Cup slot up for grabs, and the results of Saturday's final round of matches will decide who the team will be. Golden Arrows, SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows are in the running to finish fourth on the standings and claim that slot.
At the Jonsson Kings Park Stadium, Durban, AmaZulu ran out 1-0 winners. They will finish the season in second place regardless of the result of their final match.
After a goalless first half, AmaZulu central defender Tapelo Xoki scored an early second-half penalty which turned out to be the match-winner.
Pirates scored a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Baroka at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane.
After Pirates enjoyed more first-half scoring chances and an overwhelming share of possession, Baroka opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime through Denwin Farmer.
Two minutes into added injury time, Pirates managed the equaliser, which also came via a set-piece. Malawian Gabadinho Mhango struck a powerful free-kick, which the Baroka defence tried to clear, but the ball took a deflection and flew into the roof of the net.
Striker Mhango should have given Pirates an early second-half lead. However, he failed to capitalise when the ball spilt clear after the Baroka defence mistimed a clearance inside their penalty area.
Zimbabwean Terrence Dzvukamanja scored the winner for Pirates, 12 minutes from the end.
Kaizer Chiefs shocked Arrows with a 3-2 win at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg.
Midway through the first half, two goals in the space of 10 minutes restored the stalemate after Nkosingiphile Gumede gave Arrows the lead in the 21st minute. Lebogang Manyama responded for Chiefs just past the half-hour mark.
Chiefs were next to score later in the second half, but it turned to be an own goal. Defender Eric Mathoho tried to head an Arrows free-kick clear, but the ball squirted into the Chiefs goal to give Arrows the lead once more.
Manyama struck twice in the space of six minutes from the 72nd minute onwards, and his hat-trick gave Chiefs a surprise 3-2 lead in the closing stages of the second half.
A brace by Namibian striker Peter Shalulile gave Sundowns a 2-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic at the Dr Molemela Stadium, Botshabelo.