Kaizer Chiefs are showing they know how to ground out victories in adverse conditions, taking another tentative step towards the 2014-2015 Absa Premiership title with a battling 1-0 win against Pretoria University last night.

In a game of this nature - frantically paced on a compact pitch that did not suit Amakhosi - it seemed it would only be through one of their trademark set pieces Chiefs would edge an advantage.

Siphiwe Tshabalala's superbly-struck 69th-minute free-kick curled past AmaTuks goalkeeper Washington Arubi provided what might prove a crucial winner in Chiefs' title challenge.

The result took Amakhosi to the mythical 60 points that teams normally aim for to win the championship.

Chiefs had edged AmaZulu 1-0 last Thursday to extend their lead over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns to 10 points. On the small surface last night, Amakhosi struggled to play their absorbing game in defence, and to spread the ball with their normal authority in midfield against energetic opponents. A fired-up AmaTuks side pressed Chiefs high, with their dangerous, nippy front-line attempting to feed off the scraps.

Chiefs did manage to settle into some kind of passing pattern in the game in a more dominant second half. On balance of clear chances, the visitors deserved a hard-fought win.

AmaTuks troubled Chiefs from the first minute when Thabo Mnyamane got a touch deflected wide of Reyaad Pieterse's goal.

The visitors got the winner, thanks to a classy, sweetly-hit free-kick into the top-right corner from Tshabalala after Reneilwe Letsholonyane was brought down outside the AmaTuks box.