Orlando Pirates moved to the top of their CAF Confederation Cup group after defeating Royal Leopards 3-0 on Sunday evening.
CAF Confederation Cup
Result: Orlando Pirates 3-0 Royal Leopards
Date: 13 March 2022
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Ntsikelelo Nyauza came back into the Pirates starting line-up in place of Happy Jele as Fortune Makaringe came in for Zakhele Lepasa. Meanwhile, Ncamiso Dlamini and Linda Mbuli replaced
Pirates almost got off to the dream start when Kwame Peprah pounced on a stray back pass and surged clear on goal but his shot towards the bottom left corner was saved by the goalkeeper.
Leopards won a corner in the tenth minute. Mancoba Maseko delivered and Mzwandile Mabelesa's header went wide of the left-hand post.
The Buccaneers were dominating possession but not creating any notable chances. That was forcing the Bucanneers in to long shots and one such effort from Fortune Makaringe stung the gloves of Leopards shot-stopper Ncamiso Dlamini, who managed to keep it out.
With five minutes to go, Leopards winger Andy Junior Magagula's free-kick went just wide of the left-hand upright after Thabang Monare had committed a foul on the edge of the area.
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Makaringe gave Pirates the lead three minutes after half-time with a spectacular effort. The ball came his way on the right-hand touchline and he spotted the goalkeeper off his line, lobbing the ball over him off the crossbar and into the back of the net from a good 40 yards out.
The Sea Robbers should have scored again when some neat interplay saw the ball come to the left for Paseka Mako, who squared the ball into the box for Terrence Dzvukamanja, who somehow put the ball over the bar from close-range on his left foot.
Pirates doubled the lead in the 57th minute with a beauty of a team goal. Kabelo Dlamini played the ball into the feet of Goodman Mosele, who backflicked the ball into the path of Dlamini, who continued his run and calmly placed the ball right into the bottom left corner.
Dzvukamanja made amends for his earlier miss when he glanced Deon Hotto's corner to the near post into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
The Zimbabwean was proving a handful for the Leopards defence in the air and headed narrowly wide from a Bongani Sam delivery as he failed to get a second but it was still an impressive display from Pirates in the end.
Here's how they lined up:
Pirates: Ofori, Shandu, Ndah, Nyauza, Mako, Monare, Mosele, Makaringe, Dlamini, Peprah, Hotto.
Subs: Mpontshane, Dzvukamanja, Makhubela, Lepasa, Maela, Sam, Mabaso, Makgaka, Jele
