Kaizer Chiefs were held to a 1-1 draw with AmaZulu in the DStv Premiership on Sunday night as their race to secure a top-eight spot goes down to the wire.
Ashley Du Preez got the visitors to the Moses Mabhida Stadium off to the perfect start when he netted with just two minutes of the match played.
Sepana Letsoalo secured a share of the spoils though when he levelled with six first-half minutes to play.
Amakhosi are hoping to salvage a woeful season by ending as one of the best eight teams and ended the evening just about holding onto eighth place, with 35 points from 28 games.
They are level with Polokwane City in ninth, while as many as four teams from 10th to 13th could overtake Cavin Johnson’s side should results go against them in the final two weeks of the season.
AmaZulu, are one such team, in 12th place with 33 points.
The away team started positively and it took barely two minutes for Du Preez to open the scoring after intercepting a poor pass and finishing with a super finish past Usuthu stopper Veli Mothwa.
The home side looked to respond with a quick break forward on eight minutes but Siyethemba Sithebe was well placed to clear the danger.
Sifiso Hlanti then forced Mothwa into a good save on 20 minutes as he fired in a powerful set-piece.
Chiefs were deat a blow when an injured Ramahlwe Mphahlele was forced off and replaced by Mbongeni Gumede before the half-hour mark.
Mduduzi Shabalala had two attempts to add to the visitors’ lead but he fired his first effort over the bar on 33 minutes before smashing the ball against an upright four minutes later.
And their misses proved to be costly as Sepana Letsoalo levelled with 39 minutes on the clock with a pinpoint header into the back of the net, to send the two teams down the tunnel for half time level pegging.
Buoyed by their goal, AmaZulu were far more composed on the ball in the second half and dealt comfortaby with a sporadic Chiefs attack.
Amakhosi keeper Bruce Bvuma had to be at his best to deny Pule Ekstein on the turn on 64 minutes, while Mothwa had little trouble to keep out an effort from Christian Saile moments later.
Chances were few and far between as the half wore on, with Du Preez unable to beat Mothwa with a late shot.
Try as they might Johnson’s side were unable to breach the Usuthu defence, to leave the club’s top-eight hopes hanging on results against Polokwane City and Cape Town Spurs in their final two games of the season.