A single penalty goal from Katlego Mphela handed Kaizer Chiefs a 1-0 win over the University of Pretoria in their penultimate 2013/14 Absa Premiership game at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night.

The win takes Chiefs to 60 points from 29 games, but they are unable to catch Mamelodi Sundowns who top the table with 64 points after their win over SuperSport United also on Tuesday night.

It was a dull start to the game with neither side able to fashion a decent scoring chance in front of goal.

Instead, the opening stages of the first half was characterised by some poor passing and bad decision making in the final third from both teams.

Consequently, shots on goal were few and far between and the first strike at goal came in the 21st minute courtesy of Junior Sibande who fired over the target from 30-yards out.

Chiefs first attempt on goal came eight minutes later, but not from a boot of one of their own players.

Instead, a ball over the top of the Tuks defence from Siphiwe Tshabalala saw the keeper rushing off his line to collect only for his own defender, Siyabonga Shoyisa, to poke the ball over him and towards goal. Fortunately for Tuks Grant Kekana was there to clear the ball off the goalline.

Chiefs began to grow in confidence after that and created their best chance of the half in the 34th minute when Tefu Mashamaite met a right-side free-kick from Tshabalala, but his header from ten-yards out was well-saved by Washington Arubi.

Chiefs finished the half the stronger of the two sides and came close to taking the lead in the 43rd minute when a long throw-in from the left was flicked into the path of Bernard Parker, but his header from six-yards out skimmed the wrong side of the post.

It was more of the same for Chiefs in the second 45, but again, much like the first half, they struggled to turn their pressure into scoring chances.

Tshabalala forced Arubi into a save in the 55th minute from 30-yards out, but the keeper was up to the task.

In a rare foray forward for Tuks they thought they had opened the scoring in the 68th minute when Atusaye Nyondo headed home a left wing cross, but he was adjudged to be in an off-side position and the goal did not stand.

Arubi showed his brilliance again between the posts for Tuks in the 71st minute when he superbly denied second half substitute Matthew Rusike from just inside the box.

Chiefs finally took the lead in the 76th minute when Mphela scored from the penalty spot after Kgotso Moleko was brought down inside the box by Sibande, 1-0

Chiefs held on for the win, but it was not enough to stop Mamelodi Sundowns from claiming the 2013/14 Absa Premiership title after beating SuperSport United 3-0 on Tuesday night as well.

The win puts Chiefs on 60 points, four adrift of Sundowns with 64 points and only a game to go in the league season.

University of Pretoria (0) 0

Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1 (Mphela 76’ pen)

TEAMS

Tuks: Washington Arubi, Grant Kekana, Buhle Mkhwanazi, Siyabonga Shoyisa, Junior Sibande, Mpho Matsi, Ronald Kektjijere (Raymond Monama 81’), Siyabonga Ngubane, Thabo Mosadi (Dipsy Selolwane 83’), Atusaye Nyondo, Geoffrey Massa (Thabo Mnyamane 79’).

Kaizer Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Kgotso Moleko, Tefu Mashamaite, Morgan Gould, Tsepo Masilela, George Lebese (Ivan Bukenya 88’), Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Willard Katsande, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bernard Parker [Matthew Rusike 60’ (Kingston Nkhatha 77’)], Katlego Mphela.