The defending MTN8 Champions Orlando Pirates have been dumped out in the first round by Swallows FC thanks to a Gamildien brace.

Chiefs target Ruzaigh Gamildien scored a brace of early goals that were enough to eliminate Buccanneers from the competition.

We are guaranteed new champions after the Dube birds soared too high for Pirates.

Knocking them out on their home turf. This means two successive heartbreaking losses at home for the Bucs after losing the Carling Black Label Cup match against Chiefs last weekend.

Now, there are just two of the ‘Big 3’ sides left and they clash on Sunday.

Gamildien’s two first-half strikes secured their passage into the top four with Golden Arrows who won a dramatic game against SuperSport United earlier in the day.

His strikes in the 16th and 23rd minute of the game were enough to eliminate the defending champions.

Arrows sent the game into penalties after scoring the equalizer deep into extra time. They leveled the game in the 118th minute before winning a nail-biting penalty shoot-out 4-3.

The weight of the Sundowns vs Chiefs clash just magnified. Although the competition is just at the quarter-final stages, you’d expect this match to act as a ‘mini-final’.

The Brazilians are the defending DStv Premiership champions while Amakhosi reached their first-ever final of the CAF Champions League.

Both of their rivals were knocked out today and now they represent their respective regions.

Sundowns carry the hope of Tshwane and Chiefs the aspirations of Soweto.