Defending Absa Premiership and Nedbank Cup champions Kaizer Chiefs retained the Gauteng Cup following a 4-1 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic, in a game played at Loftus Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Goals from Willard Katsande, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Knowledge Musona and Kaizer Motaung Jr. secured an emphatic victory for the AmaKhosi.

Thabo Nthethe found the back of the net for the Free State outfit.

As can be expected from pre-season encounters, the game got off to a slow start with both sides opting to get a feel for the ball, passing it around in their own half.

The AmaKhosi created the best chances in the first half an hour of play with Siboniso Gaxa and recently returned striker Knowledge Musona going close for the Soweto giants.

Chiefs were rewarded for their persistent pressure in the 32nd minute of the game. Willard Katsande's long range pass come shot from just inside Siwelele's half caught Thembalenthu Moses totally off guard and ended up in the back of the net, 1-0.

Rodreck Mutuma had a great opportunity to level matters three minutes before the break, the Phunya Sele Sele striker found himself through on goal, but he could only manage to direct his attempt wide of Itumeleng Khune's right hand post.

Kaizer Chiefs punished Celtic and in particular Mutuma a minute later through a Siphiwe Tshabalala goal. The Bafana Bafana midfielder's acrobatic effort from a George Lebese cross took a fortuitous bounce before settling in the back of the net to give the current PSL champions a 2-0 lead at the break.

Celtic showed more hunger after the interval, pushing forward and finding gaps in the AmaKhosi defence.

Phunya Sele Sele pulled one back through captain Thabo Nthethe 11 minutes into the second stanza. Nthethe guided Joel Mogorosi's pin point ball into the net via the post to set-up an exciting final half an hour.

Musona restored Chiefs lead in the 67th minute of the encounter. The Zimbabwean neatly tucked away the ball into the back of the net following a superb run from Tsepo Masilela down the left flank, 3-1.

The 'Smiling Assassin' strike took all the wind out of Phunya Sele Sele's sails as the Bloemfontein side looked exhausted following the forwards goal.

Kaizer Motaung JNR capped off a brilliant display from the AmaKhosi in the final minute of the game. The veteran striker poked home from close range after some good work in the air from Lorenzo Gordinho, 4-1.

Celtic beat the University of Pretoria 4-2 on penalties in the semifinal.

Kaizer Chiefs (2) 4 (Katsande 32', Tshabalala 43', Musona 67', Motaung 90')

Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 1 (Nthethe 56')

Teams:

Kaizer Chiefs: Khune (Khuzwayo 81') , Gaxa, Mashamaite, Gould (Gordinho 61'), Masilela, Tshabalala (Rusike 81'), Letsholonyane (Baloyi 79'), Katsande, Lebese (Mtsweni 90'), Musona (Motaung 72'), Majoro (Nkhata 46')

Bloemfontein Celtic: Moses, Leonard, Isaacs (Haoseb 69'), Mahoa (Nthethe 46'), Motlhaping, Stephanus, Duiker (Mzava 46'), Musa (Buchanan 64'), Makhudubela (Mogorosi 46'), Ntanga (Mhangon 64'), Mutuma