What was a fixture that gave Ernst Middendorp and his charges a lot to mull over prior to kick off turned out to be a Saturday afternoon kick about as Kaizer Chiefs bundled the defending ABSA Cup Champions SuperSport United out of the competition. SuperSport entered this game with the historical advantage over Chiefs in cup competitions having prior to this game beaten the Amakhosi on three out of four previous occasions. Chiefs started the game brighter than United and had the first goal scoring opportunity inside the first five minutes. Derrick Spencer was unable to control his shot and skied the ball high over the cross bar.

Arthur Zwane then began to run the roost over the SuperSport defence with a host of defense splitting runs and on ten minutes watched as he cut through the SuperSport defence only to watch his final effort cleared off the line. SuperSport were content to counter attack and had the perfect opportunity to take the lead in the 27th minute, Jimmy Tau flew in at the wright time to block a Tony Tsabedze shot which looked goal bound.

Chiefs best chance of the first half fell to Arthur Zwane on the half hour mark after Scara Ngobese sent in a pin point past which sliced through the SuperSport defence and found Arthur Zwane. The speedy Chiefs winger bore down on goal and unleashed a powerful shot which brought out the best in Marlin the SuperSport goal minder, Marlin’s heroics did win him the flexi save of the game award.

Ernst Middendorp once again rang the changes at the start of the second half like he did a week ago against Bloemfontein Celtic, introducing the dangerous midfield pairing of Gert Schalkwyk and David Mathebula. The pair were soon into the action as Schalkwyk tormented United defender Mahoa and sent in cross for Agyemang who narrowly missed, a minute later David Mathebula shot across the face of goal from close range.

As the game progressed Chiefs began to take a firmer grip and it was only a matter of time before The Amakhosi opened the scoring, it was no surprise when Schalkwyk ran through the SuperSport defense and laid off a ball to David Obua who lifted his head and sent in a cross for Louis Agyemang who pushed the ball over the line. Giving the Ghanaian his first goal for Chiefs in 2006, his previous goal for Chiefs coming in December last year against Free State Stars.

A minute later SuperSport could have levelled matters but for some brilliant work by Rowen Fernandez, diving bravely at the feet of Manuel Bucane to deny the Mozambican the opportunity to level matters. Just after the hour Chiefs doubled their advantage as David Mathebula finished off a move involving a host of Chiefs players that included some neat short passing, Mathebula finding his way onto the scorers sheet also for the first time in 2006.

SuperSport were thrown a life line of sorts in the 68th minute when Tony Tsabedze’s well placed shot from outside the 18yard area beat Fernandez and flew into the top of the net. United began to play with a spring in their step and felt that an equalizer was on the cards, all hopes of a miraculous come back were ended when Agyemang struck to claim his second goal of the game and see Chiefs through to the next round.

At the end of the game a beleaguered SuperSport United team sat in the distance and watched David Obua claim another man of the match accolade as the reality dawned that they will not be in Monday’s draw for the last sixteen. For Chiefs the next round beckons, The Amakhosi now turn back their attention to league soccer as they face a double of PSL matches in the next week, with a journey to Cape Town to face Santos on Wednesday evening and than Moroka Swallows in a weeks time.

Line Up’s:

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 21. P. Mayo, 4. C. Nzama, 6. F. McCarthy,

27. G. Sibeko (24. Mathebula 45 min), 28. D. Spencer, 13. D. Obua, 18. A. Zwane,

11. S. Ngobese (25. Schalkwyk 45 min), 20. L. Agyemang (7. Motaung Jnr 80 min)

Substitutes: 16. E. Baron, 8. T. Nengomasha, 5. P. Mabedi, 24. D. Mathebula,

25. G. Schalkwyk, 31. D. Radebe, 7. K. Motaung

Super Sport United: 29. C. Marlin, 13. T. Mahoa, 15. M .Zwane, 6. S. Gaxa,

25. E. Williams, 16. C. Sibeko (32. Matola 68 min), 17. T. Tsabedze (10. Oduro 90+),

28. S. Mahlangu, 27. D. Klaite (23. Ndlela 64 min), 9. M. Bucane, 18. A. Raselemane

Substitutes: 1. L. Niewenhuys, 23. L. Ndelela, 5. A. Inusah, 10. S. Oduro, 26. P. Khobane, 32. S. Matola, 4. K. Tembo

Yellow Cards: Super Sport United 13. Tsietsi Mahoa 72 min, 32. Selemani Matola 81 min