English nomad Keene sinks Orlando Pirates

Title-holders United won 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw following extra time in the early season knockout competition for the top eight league finishers from the 2017/2018 campaign.   

Keene, a close-season buy by the Pretoria outfit from Johannesburg-based Wits, guessed that Siyabonga Mpontshane would dive to one side and fired into the middle of the goal.

The 32-year-old striker began his senior career with then top-flight side Portsmouth and played in Sweden, Norway, Israel and India before arriving in South Africa two years ago.

In a lively Soweto cup tie, Zambian Augustine Mulenga gave the Buccaneers an early lead that Dean Furman cancelled with a scorching shot having been involved twice in the build-up.

Zimbabwean Evans Rusike nudged the visiting club ahead just after half-time only for Gladwin Shitolo to equalise on the hour by deflecting a drive past Ronwen Williams.

Williams saved a timidly struck Mulenga penalty five minutes from the end of extra time and United failed only once in five shootout kicks with Fagrie Lakay striking the woodwork. 

"Pirates had a lot more possession, but we put pressure on them when they threatened," said SuperSport coach and former Zimbabwe defender Kaitano Tembo.

Serbia-born Pirates coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic said the extra-time penalty miss was a massive blow to their hopes of winning the competition for the first time since 2011.

"Failing to convert the spot-kick left us psychologically down. We wasted other scoring chances and the way we conceded the two goals was unacceptable." 

New Italian coach Giovanni Solinas celebrated his first win with Kaizer Chiefs, who clinically mastered Free State Stars 3-0 in Soweto. 

The victory came four days after Chiefs, who have failed to win a trophy in the past three seasons, were outclassed at home by Wits in the league.

Dumisani Zuma, Colombian Leonardo Castro and Zimbabwean Khama Billiat netted for Chiefs in a match that stretched to 103 minutes owing to injuries.

Solinas exaggerated when he called his players "brilliant" -- they were no more than workmanlike against surprisingly lacklustre rivals.  

A Sibusiso Vilakazi shot and a Wayne Arendse header allowed 2016 CAF Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns to overcome visiting Golden Arrows 2-0 in Pretoria without much difficulty.

Keanu Cupido nodded a goal after a corner in the final minute of the opening half to give Cape Town City a 1-0 away win over Maritzburg United. 

The South African 8, bankrolled by a mobile phone company, is a winners-take-all competition with the successful club pocketing eight million rand ($570,000, 500,000 euros).