Staff Reporter.
Kaizer Chiefs are into the Carling Knockout quarter-finals after a 4-0 win over SuperSport United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.
Chiefs joined Stellenbosch FC, Magesi FC, Marumo Gallants, Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City in the quarterfinal draw, after goals from Gaston Sirino, Yusuf Maart, Ranga Chivaviro and Ashley Du Preez saw them past Matsatsantsa.
SuperSport were the more aggressive team in the opening 20 minutes, with their closest effort at goal seeing Tashreeq Morris denied from a tight angle by Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari early on.
Morris had another chance midway through the first half, getting up highest to head on target from a corner kick, but Ntwari was again well-placed to save.
Chiefs should have claimed the lead in the 29th minute when Reeve Frosler played a fine low cross from the right to pick out an unmarked Wandile Duba, but the youngster scuffed his finish and saw the ball loop onto the crossbar before being collected by goalkeeper Ricardo Goss.
Morris hit the post at the other end shortly thereafter, again managing to get away a free header from a corner kick.
Chiefs then broke the deadlock on 33 minutes via a beautifully-taken goal from Gaston Sirino, who cut inside from the right before sending a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner of the net.
The Soweto side should have doubled their advantage in injury time before the break, as Duba put Ranga Chivaviro through on goal, only for the striker to drag a low shot wide of the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Yet Chiefs did not have to wait long for their second goal, as Yusuf Maart powered home a header from Sirino’s corner kick in the 53rd minute to put the visitors in firm control of the cup tie.
Matsatsantsa upped their game in response and threatened to get back in contention, but the game was effectively put to bed on 73 minutes when a Chiefs counter was emphatically finished off by Chivaviro to make it 3-0.
Things got even worse for United with just over 10 minutes of regulation time to play, as Gape Moralo received a second yellow card and was sent off.
Chiefs dialled up the pressure in search of a fourth goal and were rewarded deep in injury time when Ashley Du Preez sprung the offside trap and finished coolly with his left foot to complete the scoring.
SuperSport will next be in action on Tuesday, 22 October, when they face Orlando Pirates in a league match, while Chiefs’ next match is against the very same United team in the league next Saturday, 26 October.