Kaizer Chiefs cruised to the quarterfinals of the Telkom Knockout when they defeated Polokwane City 3-0 in their Last 16 encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.

Tefu Mashamaite scored a goal in each half, both goals coming from header, before Knowledge Musona scored the third goal from open play.

Amakhosi threatened to open the scoring as early as the third minute when the ball fell kindly for Reneilwe Letsholonyane on the right side of the box, but he was denied by a good save from Nkueni Mayala.

After withstanding the early pressure, City had their first opportunity in the 16th minute when Thabo Rakhale cut in from the left before shooting from outside the box, forcing Itumeleng Khune to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 34th minute when Mashamaite rose at the near post to place his powerful header in the back of the net, connecting with Bernard Parker’s inswinging corner.

The visitors came close to doubling their lead on the stroke of halftime when Letsholonyane played a long ball over the City defence to find Musona on the left side of the box, but his toe-poked effort was kept out by Mayala.

Then right minutes into the second half it George Lebese’s corner fell kindly for an unmarked Kingston Nkhatha at the far post, only for the striker to volley his shot over the crossbar.

The hosts had an opportunity at the other end in the 59th minute but Siphesihle Nzimande saw his header blocked by Morgan Gould and his follow-up shot failed to bother Khune.

The end-to-end action continued as Tsepo Masilela got behind the City defence a minute later; the fullback managed to chip the ball over the advancing Mayala, but Million Mkhabela made a clearance before the goal-line.

Letsholonyane should have doubled Chiefs’ lead in the 66th minute after Musona’s low cross found him unmarked inside the box, but the midfielder fired his shot over an open net.

However, the second goal did arrive from the resulting corner as Mashamaite flew in at the far post to grab his brace, heading home from another Parker delivery.

Chiefs took the match further away from the home side in the 74th minute when Musona sprung the offside trap to run onto a long pass from Gould before lobbing the ball over Mayala and into the back of the net to seal a comfortable win for his side.

Polokwane City 0

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 3 (Mashamaite 34’ 67’, Musona 74’)

Teams:

Polokwane City: Mayala, Molekwane, Hlela, Mkhabela, Lichaba, Rakhale, Molala (Mdluli 46’), Motsiane, Moyana (Gopane 88’), Nzimande, Mncwango (Tlolane 51’)

Kaizer Chiefs: Khune, Gaxa, Gould, Mashamaite, Masilela, Katsande, Letsholonyane, Lebese (Masango 79’), Nkhatha (Nkosi 71’), Parker, Musona (Motaung 82’)