14.01.2018 20:24 h

Disastrous SuperSport United run continues

SuperSport United's nightmare run in the South African Premiership since losing the CAF Confederation Cup final last November continued Sunday with a 1-0 loss at Golden Arrows.

Zimbabwean Kudakwashe Mahachi scored on 80 minutes at Princess Magogo Stadium in Indian Ocean port city Durban to end an 11-match winless run by Arrows.

The result left Pretoria-based SuperSport without a victory in seven matches and stuck in the bottom half of the 16-club league.

SuperSport exceeded expectations by reaching the second-tier Confederation Cup final, which they lost 2-1 on aggregate to title-holders TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

United coach and former South Africa midfielder Eric Tinkler labelled his off-form team "pretty atrocious" after a midweek loss at Wits.

He was less harsh following the defeat by Arrows, saying his side "controlled the second half only to be caught by a sucker punch.

"I warned my team before the match not to lose concentration, but we did briefly and were punished for a defensive lapse."

SuperSport, who are bankrolled by a pan-African sport broadcaster based in Johannesburg, were widely listed among the title favourites before the Premiership kicked off.

But those hopes have all but disappeared as United trail leaders and fellow Pretoria club Mamelodi Sundowns by 14 points, albeit with three matches in hand.

Defending champions Wits climbed off the bottom of the table by forcing a 1-1 draw away to Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in eastern coastal city Port Elizabeth.

Vincent Pule gave the visitors from Johannesburg a first-half lead they retained until 10 minutes from time when Christopher Bergman equalised.

Baroka rose to sixth with a 2-0 home win over lowly AmaZulu at Peter Mokaba Stadium in northern city Polokwane with Mduduzi Mdantsane and Gift Motupa scoring.