A last minute goal from Josta Dladla handed Kaizer Chiefs their third win in a row when they beat Free State Stars 2-1 in an Absa Premiership match at the Charles Mopeli Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

With a lot at stake for both teams and neither willing to accept defeat with a chance of the league title on the line, albeit a slim one, both teams took a cautious approach to the game.

This resulted in the start of the game being a little slow and unadventurous in attack from both teams as both looked to keep hold of possession.

The first shot in anger came in the 13th minute from the home team via a free-kick from Mpho Makola. The Ea Lla Koto man let fly from 25-yards out, but Itumeleng Khune produced a fine save to deny him.

Four minutes later and Chiefs had their first effort on goal from centre-back Lincoln Zvasiya who fired in a powerful shot from roughly 22-yards out, but his effort went narrowly wide.

Amakhosi's best chance on goal came in the 28th minute when a swift passing move saw Bernard Parker in space inside the 18-yard area, but he miss-fired his 12-yard shot inches wide of the upright.

Makola played a perfect pass to find Gege unmarked inside the box and he made no mistake with a finish from six-yards out, 1-0, taking the Ea Lla Koto into the halftime break in the lead.

In the 56th minute Edward Magqele let fly from 20-yards but he saw his effort go over the crossbar. Five minutes later and Zakari Morou also tried his luck from outside the box, but his shot produced the same result.

Chiefs managed to equalise through their Bafana Bafana left winger, Tshabalala who produced one of his trademark goals from just outside the box, placing the ball into the left bottom corner of the goal to draw his side level, 1-1.

That set up a frantic final ten minutes as both sides went in search of the winner which was found by Chief in the last minute of the match.

Josta Dladla found the winning goal latching onto a pass from Majoro, and the midfielder did not need a second invitation with a great finish from 12-yards out to hand his side the win, 2-1.

Despite the win, with both Swallows and Pirates winning their respective matches, Chiefs cannot win the title

Free State Stars (1) 1 (Gege 32’)

Kaizer Chiefs (0) 2 (Tshabalala 79’, Dladla 90’)

Teams

Stars: Mweene; Makola, Gcaba, Mashego, Masehe, Mashaba, Gege, Sadate, Manqele, Wiltwer, Morou

Chiefs: Khune: Tau, Ritchie, Mashamaite, Zvasiya, Nengomasha, Letsholonyane (Masango 65’), Dladla, Tshabalala, Parker (Lebese 58’), Ncgobo (Majoro 77’)