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Johannesburg - There will be a new winner in this season's Nedbank Cup after winger Siphiwe Tshabalala netted a brace for Kaizer Chiefs to eliminate current holders Bidvest Wits, in a crushing 4-0 win at Bidvest Stadium on Sunday.
The visitors were in control of the encounter and should have scored more goals in the fixture as they totally outclassed the Students.
Chiefs went into the halftime break 2-0 ahead with Tshabalala opening the scoring in the 13th minute after feeding off a well threaded pass from midfielder Mthokozisi Yende before calmly rounding off goalkeeper Darren Keet.
The second came after 34 minutes with striker S'thembiso Ngcobo taking advantage of a loose ball in the Wits penalty box after a corner kick was not cleared in the box.
After ballooning a chance at goal a few moments earlier, Tshabalala was able to claim his second of the day in the 75th minute, taking advantage of fullback Jimmy Tau's cross to cut inside the defence and then unleashing a shot that gave Keet no chance.
The fourth for the team came courtesy of Tshabalala's replacement in George Lebese who orchestrated a peach of a free kick soon after coming on, on the edge of the box with seven minutes left to play.
It could have been five goals for the Phefeni Glamour side as striker Knowledge Musona missed a chance to end his goal drought in the dying minutes of the game, only to see his final shot in the box sail harmlessly over the goalposts.
While Wits showed some dominance when both these sides clashed in the league four days prior in a 1-1 draw, they were a contrast of that team this time around as they looked lethargic in both defence and attack, and they missed the presence of cup-tied teenage sensation striker Bhongolwethu Jayiya.
Wits did, however, show some enthusiasm at the start of the second half. They added another striker, Ryan Chapman, who replaced midfielder Sandile Sibande during the interval. Forward Sibusiso Vilakazi had the side's only clear-cut opportunity to trouble keeper Itumeleng Khune in the Chiefs goal, but shot his effort across the face of goal.
To add more misery to the Wits outfit, who now turn their focus on the remaining four Premiership matches of the season, they are set to be without winger Sifiso Myeni who was shown a red card in injury time for dissent, and will miss the next two matches.
Amakhosi now progress to the quarter-finals of the competition along with Orlando Pirates, Vasco da Gama, Baroka F.C, Mpumalanga Black Leopards, Free State Stars, AmaZulu and Black Leopards who will have their names in the hat when the Last Eight draw is conducted on Monday morning.
