Kaizer Chiefs finally returned to winning ways on Tuesday night when Wandile Duba’s superb hat-trick guided them to a comfortable 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout Last 16 at FNB Stadium.

The Amakhosi controlled large parts of the game but went into the break level at 0-0. Three minutes after the restart, Pule Mmodi delivered a clever cross into the box and Duba finished neatly to open the scoring. It was the spark the home side needed.

Chiefs kept pushing and were rewarded with a penalty when Galaxy substitute Veluyeke Zulu fouled Mduduzi Shabalala inside the area. Mfundo Vilakazi stepped up but saw his effort saved by Melusi Mathebula. The ball rebounded kindly and Duba reacted quickest to smash home and make it 2-0.

The 22-year-old completed his first senior hat-trick just minutes later. Shabalala slipped a precise through ball into his path, and Duba raced clear before beating the goalkeeper with a composed finish. The FNB Stadium crowd erupted as the scoreboard showed 3-0.

The win was exactly what the Glamour Boys needed. They had suffered an early exit from the CAF Confederation Cup the previous week and had managed only one victory in their previous eight matches across all competitions. This result takes the pressure off coach Fernando da Cruz and sends a positive message ahead of Saturday’s Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates at the same venue.

Duba, named Man of the Match, doubled his goal tally for the season in the space of 18 second-half minutes. His clinical finishing and sharp movement gave Galaxy no answer once Chiefs clicked into gear. Rushwin Dortley also made a welcome return to the starting line-up after a long injury layoff, adding steel to the defence.

With the quarter-final draw still to come, Chiefs can now focus on the big clash against their Soweto rivals knowing they have rediscovered the winning habit. For a side that has endured a tough few weeks, Duba’s treble could not have arrived at a better time.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2115156416734417165