Despite a brave display at a cold Ellis Park on Saturday, where they defeated AmaZulu 3-1, Orlando Pirates finished the Absa Premiership as runner-up to SuperSport United.
Needing a point from their final match of the season United, the defending champions, scraped home with a 0-0 draw against Santos at Stellenbosch's Coetezburg Stadium in their last fixture played at the same time on Saturday.
United and Bucs each finished the season with 55 points but defending champions SuperSport won back-to back titles because of their superior goal difference over Bucs. Pirates would have had to win 10-1 to pip United for the title.
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Pirates players did their best by closing the gap on United at the end of the season but it was too little, too late, even after United were beaten 2-1 at home by Golden Arrows in their penultimate match on Wednesday to give Bucs fans hope of their first title since 2003.
AmaZulu gave as good as they got Bucs coach Ruud Krol summed up when he said that the title was not in his players' grasp. They had to beat AmaZulu to stay in the running and did just that but it was disappointment for the fans in the 18 000 crowd which gave Pirates a rousing cheer as they saluted their supporters after the match.
Bucs have the consolation as runner-up of qualifying for the African Champions League in 2010. With their supporters roaring their players on, Pirates did brilliantly in the opening half against a side that never looked like giving in.
AmaZulu gave as good as they got in an entertaining opening 45 minutes despite the bumpy pitch. Bradley Ritson was Usuthu's most dangerous player. He managed to get in a header in the fifth minute that Bucs keeper Moeneeb Josephs did well to save.
Three minutes later Ritson shook his head in disbelief when, after collecting a well directed through ball from Dumisani Ngwenya to beat the offside trap and Josephs, he saw his shot cannon off the post.
Katlego Mashego made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute
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