Siphiwe Tshabalala (File)

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Pretoria - Kaizer Chiefs ended their Absa Premiership season on a strong note as they stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches with a 2-1 victory over Free State Stars at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Chiefs had already secured third place before the start of their last game of the season, and Stars remained in 13th position after playing with only 10 men for the last 20 minutes of the match.

Despite no chance of moving up the log, Chiefs were aggressive from the start with midfielder Abia Nale missing right from a rebound off the wall following a Siphiwe Tshabalala free kick as early as the fifth minute.

Langu Seswe latched onto a cross from Tshabalala seven minutes later but sent his close range header wide.

The visitors got their first chance in the 17th minute, but Mpho Maleka curled a free kick over the bar from the left wing.

And three minutes later Chiefs struck after a Tshabalala corner found Tinashe Nengomasha at the far post. The midfielder offloaded to Knowledge Mosuna, who found the back of the net to put his side ahead.

Tshabalala came close to stretching the lead in the 36th minute when he thundered in a long range effort that was tipped around the post by Stars goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene. With less than a minute on the first half clock Nale had another chance, but Mweene again kept it out to prevent the hosts from stretching their lead shortly before the break.

The visitors, however, fought back from the start of the second stanza, with Molemo Moholo taking the first shot of the half in the 54th minute, although his effort was easily saved by Khune.

Two minutes later Josta Dladla had an opportunity to stretch Chiefs’ lead but missed right, and a minute later Stars struck the equaliser when a Tebelo Mofokeng pass set up Moholo, who slotted it in to level matters at 1-1.

Midway through the half, Stars’ Sthembiso Ngcobo sent a shot wide and three minutes later Nale hit the visitors’ post.

Stars then took a blow when Paulos Masehe received his second yellow card and was sent off for a foul on Chiefs substitute midfielder George Lebese.

And Chiefs took full advantage with Punch Masenemela setting up a goal from Dladla as Chiefs took the lead again in the 73rd minute.

In the dying minutes, Matome Madimabe had an opportunity to equalise but sent his free kick over the bar.