For the first time since the Premier Soccer League's inception in the 1996/97 season, Orlando Pirates will have to watch the top eight competition from the comfort of their couches.
To make things worse, the side that normally gives them their customary last season win, Golden Arrows, pulled the rug from under their feet through Knox Mutizwa's injury time winner.
Pirates will look back at Jackson Mabokgwane's 61st minute gaffe that allowed Lerato Lamola to equalise as the turning point of the match.
After all, goalkeeping howlers have been a trending theme at the Buccaneers and one of the reasons why they've finished outside of the top eight.
Thamsanqa Gabuza may not be the most proficient centre forwards around but his powerful 19th minute from a Mpho Makola corner header to give the visitors explained why Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter picked him for the Nigeria game.
He has little skill, non-existent guile but his height and physicality is something that could worry the Super Eagles in Uyo next month,
It was a goal that came against the run of play considering the rickety Pirates back four spent much of the opening 20 minutes chasing shadows.
Gabuza's goal knocked the wind from their first half sails even though Lamola should have done better with his 39th minute header that Mabokgwane did well to save.
With the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award still up for grabs, Ndoro had two chances to overtake Cape Town City's Lebohang Manyama.
He fluffed his lines both times when he missed a delightful Ntsikelelo Nyauza cross in the 33rd minute while blasting wide in the 42nd minute when Arrows seemingly lost their ability to defend.
For probably the first time this season outside of the Nedbank Cup and the Soweto Derby, Pirates played some decent football.
Their sense of purpose was fuelled by the fact they needed to win and Arrows have been their daily bread this season.
With the kind of substandard season Pirates have had, losing to them has been unspeakable. Arrows have done so three times.
That pretty much summed Golden Arrows' season: Good against the best through their elimination of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout Cup but abject against a team like Pirates who've suffered tennis set defeats against Sundowns and SuperSport United.
Ndoro and Gabuza had chances in the 56th, 57th and 58th minutes to extend Pirates lead but their radars failed them.
They had to look on in disgust when a dreadful mistake from the error-prone Mabokgwane gifted Lamola the equaliser three minutes later.
Mabokgwane tried to chip a back pass over the lanky forward but the pass was intercepted and an ugly bicycle kick was enough to propel the ball over the line.
That mistake was compounded by Ayanda Nkosi's inexplicable 82nd miss from point-blank blank range. Mutizwa landed the killer blow to kill off the game.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Pirates miss out on top eight for first time in PSL era after defeat at Arrows
For the first time since the Premier Soccer League's inception in the 1996/97 season, Orlando Pirates will have to watch the top eight competition from the comfort of their couches.
To make things worse, the side that normally gives them their customary last season win, Golden Arrows, pulled the rug from under their feet through Knox Mutizwa's injury time winner.
Pirates will look back at Jackson Mabokgwane's 61st minute gaffe that allowed Lerato Lamola to equalise as the turning point of the match.
After all, goalkeeping howlers have been a trending theme at the Buccaneers and one of the reasons why they've finished outside of the top eight.
Thamsanqa Gabuza may not be the most proficient centre forwards around but his powerful 19th minute from a Mpho Makola corner header to give the visitors explained why Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter picked him for the Nigeria game.
He has little skill, non-existent guile but his height and physicality is something that could worry the Super Eagles in Uyo next month,
It was a goal that came against the run of play considering the rickety Pirates back four spent much of the opening 20 minutes chasing shadows.
Gabuza's goal knocked the wind from their first half sails even though Lamola should have done better with his 39th minute header that Mabokgwane did well to save.
With the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award still up for grabs, Ndoro had two chances to overtake Cape Town City's Lebohang Manyama.
He fluffed his lines both times when he missed a delightful Ntsikelelo Nyauza cross in the 33rd minute while blasting wide in the 42nd minute when Arrows seemingly lost their ability to defend.
For probably the first time this season outside of the Nedbank Cup and the Soweto Derby, Pirates played some decent football.
Their sense of purpose was fuelled by the fact they needed to win and Arrows have been their daily bread this season.
With the kind of substandard season Pirates have had, losing to them has been unspeakable. Arrows have done so three times.
That pretty much summed Golden Arrows' season: Good against the best through their elimination of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout Cup but abject against a team like Pirates who've suffered tennis set defeats against Sundowns and SuperSport United.
Ndoro and Gabuza had chances in the 56th, 57th and 58th minutes to extend Pirates lead but their radars failed them.
They had to look on in disgust when a dreadful mistake from the error-prone Mabokgwane gifted Lamola the equaliser three minutes later.
Mabokgwane tried to chip a back pass over the lanky forward but the pass was intercepted and an ugly bicycle kick was enough to propel the ball over the line.
That mistake was compounded by Ayanda Nkosi's inexplicable 82nd miss from point-blank blank range. Mutizwa landed the killer blow to kill off the game.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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