The outstanding form that has taken Orlando Pirates to the CAF Confederation Cup final deserted the Soweto club in the South African Premiership again Wednesday.

A 2-0 home defeat by unpredictable mid-table outfit Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium in Soweto left the Buccaneers fourth last on the standings with just one victory from seven matches.

Zimbabwean Kudakwachi Mahachi, an unmissable figure with his black and blond mohawk hairstyle, gave the Durban club an early second-half lead and Gladwin Shitolo added a late second goal.

Pirates have excelled internationally this year, scoring in all 14 home and away matches en route to the final of the Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the Europa League.

The South Africans face Etoile Sahel of Tunisia home and away in late November for a $660,000 (605,000 euros) first prize.

But the Arrows defeat was the fourth in the league this season with some supporters calling for coach and former South Africa midfielder Eric Tinkler to be sacked.

Tinkler, part of the 1996 South Africa Cup of Nations-winning team, cut a lonely, anxious figure as promoted Arrows climbed to seventh after a fourth win in eight matches.

It was the second successive home Premiership loss for the Buccaneers with a change of goalkeepers failing to have the desired effect.

Pirates dropped Felipe Ovono, who helped 2015 Cup of Nations hosts Equatorial Guinea exceed expectations by finishing fourth.

Replacement Siyabonga Mpontshane was beaten on 52 minutes when Mahachi fired a low shot into the far corner.

Shitolo wrapped up the points seven minutes from time with a crisp, close-range shot.

Kaizer Chiefs, who face Pirates this weekend in a Soweto derby that traditionally draws a 90,000-plus crowd, ended the unbeaten league run of Mpumalanga Black Aces with a 1-0 victory.

Togolese Camaldine Abraw headed the winner on 32 minutes at Soccer City stadium in Soweto.

It was a second win for Chiefs over Aces within four days after a 2-1 League Cup quarter-final success and Abraw also scored in Nelspruit.

Victory lifted defending champions Chiefs to fourth, two points behind leaders Wits, whose fixture against Jomo Cosmos was postponed over security concerns.

Wits play in the grounds of a Johannesburg university where there have been incidents of violence amid fee-related protests

Mamelodi Sundowns, who would have taken over top spot with a home victory against poor travellers Polokwane City, could only draw 0-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium near Pretoria.

SuperSport Untied ended a run of four league losses by winning 2-0 away to Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in southern coastal city Port Elizabeth.

Clayton Daniels gave the visitors a late first-half lead and New Zealander Jeremy Brockie sealed maximum points five minutes from time with his sixth goal this season in all competitions.