Kaizer Chiefs scored two stoppage-time goals to complete a 3-0 victory over Platinum Stars on Sunday and bury a South African League Cup jinx.

Thinly-supported Platinum from north-west mining town Rustenburg had eliminated hugely popular Soweto side Chiefs the last four times they clashed in the knockout competition.

And as the latest meeting drifted into additional time, Stars were trailing by only one goal and hunting an equaliser to force the first-round tie into extra-time.

But the home team were caught napping in scorching heat at a packed Moruleng Stadium as Siphelele Mthembu and George Maluleke scored off breakaways.

Chiefs centre-back Erick Mathoho had lived up to his 'Tower' nickname by soaring above opponents off a free-kick to nod Chiefs ahead a minute before half-time.

Victory eased the pressure on Chiefs coach Steve Komphela, a former South Africa defender and captain who took over when Englishman Stuart Baxter quit after winning the league last season.

Baxter moved to Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi only to be sacked after losing his first two league matches.

Despite an unbeaten six-match league record, Komphela came under fire from hard-to-satisfy Chiefs supporters when they lost the final of another cup competition last month.

It was the first loss of the season for Platinum after a six-game undefeated league streak took them to the top of the league standings.

Despite the three goals of Chiefs, only 13 were scored in seven cup ties with penalties needed before Mpumalanga Black Aces ousted hosts Bloemfontein Celtic after a 0-0 deadlock.

Goalkeeper Jackson Mabokgwane, who travels to Central America with the national squad this week for friendlies against Costa Rica and Honduras, was Aces' star at Free State Stadium.

He saved shootout spot-kicks from Bevan Fransman and Ugandan Geoffrey Massa while Bongolethu Jayiya converted what proved the match-winning penalty for Aces.

Four of the top-eight league clubs failed to make the quarter-finals with Ajax Cape Town and Wits joining Platinum and Celtic on the scrapheap.

Ajax, who defeated Chiefs in the MTN 8 Cup final two weekends ago, had Finnish goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola red-carded for an outside-the-box foul as they fell 1-0 at Golden Arrows.

His dismissal came on 75 minutes, soon after Gladwin Shitolo had scored the only goal at King Zwelithini Stadium in Indian Ocean city Durban.

Wits lost 1-0 away to Free State Stars a week after playing a goalless league draw at the same Globe Park stadium in central town Bethlehem.

A long-range Danny Venter shot on 72 minutes gave Free State victory as they continue to improve after a three-loss start to the season cost Malawian coach Kinnah Phiri his job.

Title-holders SuperSport United won 2-1 at Polokwane City, Maritzburg United edged Jomo Cosmos 2-1 and Mamelodi Sundowns overcame Chippa United 2-0 in other ties.