Duba hat-trick helps Chiefs blast off, Pirates sweep past Milford

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have enjoyed mixed fortunes lately, but both made merry, scoring three unanswered goals apiece to canter through the first round of the Carling Knockout Cup on Tuesday night.

The two teams will be happy to have notched a hatful of goals ahead of Saturday’s huge Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium (3.30pm).

Wandile Duba’s stunning hat-trick saw Chiefs beat TS Galaxy 3-0 at FNB Stadium to ease the pressure on coach Fernando Da Cruz. Amakhosi had slumped to a single win in eight games in all competitions, including bowing out of the Caf Confederation Cup to Zambia’s Red Devils in the second preliminary round on Friday.

Pirates won by the same scoreline against Milford FC at Orlando Stadium, adding to their joy at reaching the Caf Champions League group stages with a 5-0 aggregate win against Namibia’s African Stars.

Chiefs and Galaxy went to the break at 0-0, but three minutes into the second half, Duba broke the deadlock. Amakhosi won the ball on the right and some intricate inter-passing ended with Pule Modi dragging a pass across the face for Duba to bury the 48^th-minute opener.

Galaxy substitute Veluyeke Zulu fouled Mduduzi Shabalala in the area as referee Siyabulela Qunta pointed to the spot. Mfundo Vilakazi’s penalty was palmed by Rockets goalkeeper Melusi Mathebula onto the right upright, with Duba slotting on the follow-up in the 63rd.

Just three minutes later Shabalala’s through-pass released Duba to plant his and his teams’ third past Mathebula.

Pirates swept past Milford.

The Buccaneers were able to catch Mildford’s defence square on for all three of their goals, which all came before the break.

For their opener, playmaker Tshepang Moremi’s pass played Thapelo Mokobodi in to run through and finish past goalkeeper Siphamandla Hleza in the 17^th minute.

The Thalente Mbatha shrugged off a marker in the middle and played the pass that set Moremi down the right to round Hleza and roll in a finish for Bucs’ the second in the 34^th.

Moremi got his brace two minutes into first-half added time, beating the offside trap onto a stuning defence-splitting through-pass up by substitute Mpho Padime, who had replaced Ghampani Lungu in the 39^th.

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