Chiefs defend Gauteng Cup

Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs were in dominant form as they retained the pre-season Gauteng Cup title, beating Bloemfontein Celtic 4-1 in the final at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.

Goals from Willard Katsande, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Knowledge Musona and Kaizer Motaung Junior completed the one-sided affair.

Amakhosi, who had been awarded a bye to the final match in the three-team tournament, held the interval lead courtesy of strikes from Willard Katsande and Siphiwe Tshabalala.

The lacklustre Free Staters were no match for the on-form Soweto giants as Celtic looked shaky on defence against a quality attack.

After Chiefs dominated the first 45 minutes, Katsande netted with a speculative 32nd minute goal where he caught jittery Celtic keeper Thembalethu Moses out of position.

The margin was then doubled by Tshabalala's superb finish in the 43rd minute, where he acrobatically finished off a George Lebese cross on the left flank.

Amakhosi faithful favourite Knowledge Musona marked his return to the club after two years in Germany with a third goal in the 67th minute before Motaung's nail in the coffin.

Celtic made an early second half fightback with a 2-0 deficit as captain Thabo Nthethe found a consolation goal in the 55th minute.

Phunya Sele Sele had progressed to the match beating University of Pretoria 4-2 after penalties in the morning match, after the teams were drawn 1-1 at full-time.

The day belonged to last year's Premiership and Nedbank Cup champions, who started proceedings from where they left off in the 2012/13 campaign.

Musona of Zimbabwe showed his intent, starting off with a header on the hour mark that narrowly went wide of goal.

His countryman, Kingston Nkhatha, also came close with a header with the Glamour side outplaying Celtic particularly on the offence.

Musona was the standout player for Chiefs but he limped off to be replaced with Motaung.

Stuart Baxter's charges were also bolstered by the return of key Bafana Bafana defender Morgan Gould, who spent most of last season out with an Achilles tendon and knee injuries.

Celtic coach Clinton Larsen will return to the drawing board with a lot still to be implemented ahead of the Premiership's kick-off next month.