Kaizer Chiefs suffered a major blow in their bid for PSL title as they were beaten 1-0 by Bidvest Wits on Sunday evening.
Chiefs made four changes, with Samir Nurkovic and Khama Billiat returning alongside rare starts for Kearyn Baccus and Anthony Akumu while Lebogang Manyama and Dumisani Zuma were not in the squad.
Thulani Hlatshwayo should have given Wits a dream start with a free header in the second minute that missed the bottom corner slightly wide before Wits goalkeeper Ricardo Goss denied Nurkovic the opener from a header at the back post minutes later.
Kgotso Moleko went close for Amakhosi in the 20th minute with a cross-cum-shot from the right channel that was looping towards the far post but Goss back-pedalled to parry his effort over the crossbar.
The match was opening up after half-an-hour and Chiefs had a penalty appeal after seven minutes before the break after Hlatshwayo appeared to have brought down Reeve Frosler inside the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.
Howver the Glamour Boys suffered an injury blow on the stroke of half-time after shot-stopper Daniel Akpeyi got injured in a collision with Mxolisi Macuphu after coming out to punch a cross. He was replaced by Bruce Bvuma, with Itumeleng Khune not in the match-day squad.
Chiefs carved out an opening in the 68th minute with Baccus going clear on the right side but he struck his shot over the bar and that proved to be his final act as he was replaced by Willard Katsande in the last 18 minutes.
Amakhosi thought they had finaly found the breakthrough in the last quarter of an hour after Nurkovic scored with a tap-in in the centre of the box but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Clever Boys defender Lorenzo Gordinho almost scored an own goal in the last five minutes with a headed clearance that wrong-footed Goss into goal but the shot-stopper recovered quickly to make a last-ditch save.
Nurkovic had a glorious chance for Chiefs in the last minute, after rceiving a pass free at the back post but somehow struck his shot over the bar from a meter out, with the net gaping.
Chiefs were made to pay for that miss as Bienvenu Eva Nga snatched the winner for Wits with a composed finish past Bvuma to send the Clever Boys up to third spot.
