Golden Arrows have become the first team to advance to the quarterfinals of the Carling Knockout after they defeated Chippa United 4-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Abafana Bes’thende won the match on the back of a powerful first-half performance in which they scored twice via Sede Junior Dion and Sabelo Sithole.

The Chilli Boys dominated most of the second half, but lacked a cutting edge in attack and were unable to find their way back into the game – leaving the hosts to capitalise late on and put further daylight between them and the visitors from the Eastern Cape.

Arrows started brightly and claimed the lead in the 11th minute via Dion, who just got ahead of Chippa goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to head home from a Philani Khumalo corner kick whipped toward the near post.

Dion then turned provider as Arrows doubled their lead midway through the first half, playing a perfectly-weighted pass from the right to pick out Sithole, who coolly finished past Nwabali for 2-0.

Abafana Bes’thende looked likely to add to their advantage in the remainder of the first half, as they often used their speed to severely stretch Chippa’s defence, but a third goal did not arrive before the interval.

The Chilli Boys responded with a triple change at the start of the second half – sending on Boy Mohlometsi, Justice Figuareido and Azola Tshobeni – and they also had the first shot on goal after the restart, with Goodman Mosele driving a shot into the arms of goalkeeper Dumisani Msibi.

Ten minutes later Sirgio Kammies blew a great chance to bring his team back into the game, trying to shoot from a tight angle – and missing – when he had two teammates free in the middle of the box waiting for a pass.

Kammies had another sight of goal with 20 minutes of regulation time to play, cutting inside from the right before curling a left-footed effort just off target – as the visitors continued to be frustrated in their attempts to reduce the deficit.

And Figuareido had an even better chance in the 78th minute when he held off a defender and got a shot away from inside the box, but Msibi was well placed to turn the ball aside for a corner kick.

Arrows then made the game safe in the 83rd minute, with Nhlanhla Zwane timing his run perfectly to meet a through ball from Ayabulela Maxwele, round the goalkeeper and shoot into an empty net.

The hosts put a cherry on top two minutes later when Jerome Karelse curled a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box – a beautiful finish to round off an excellent performance from Abafana Bes’thende.

The teams will be in Betway Premiership action next Saturday, 31 October, with Arrows away to AmaZulu FC, and Chippa United visiting Stellenbosch FC.

Golden Arrows (2) 4 (Dion 11’, Sithole 22’, Zwane 83’, Karelse 85’)

Chippa United 0

Arrows: Msibi, Shezi, Jiyane, Mabaso, Agnikoi, Dlamini, Maxwele, Gasa (Zwane 65’), Sithole (Nkosi 81’), P. Khumalo (Van Neel 70’), Dion (Karelse 65’)

Chippa: Nwabali, Kammies, Majadibodu, Mobara, Jones (Sithole 67’), Mosele, Seabi (Figuareido 46’), Bance (Tshobeni 46’), Matrose, Tshaya (Mohlometsi 46’), Mlotshwa (Dlamini 75’)