Orlando Pirates cruised to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League with a 4-0 aggregate win over Djabal.
CAF Champions League
Result: Orlando Pirates 3-0 Djabal (4-0 on agg.)
Date: 25 August 2023
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Pirates made wholesale changes to the side that won the first leg 1-0 last weekend, as only Innocent Maela, Paseko Mako, Thabiso Monyane and Fortune Makaringe retained their places. Notably, Zakhele Lepasa, who scored off the bench in the first leg, started alongside Patrick Maswanganyi while Monnapule Saleng was reserved.
Both sides were cautious in the early stages, with the Buccaneers taking their time on the ball while Djabal did not want to lose their shape, staying compact in their own half.
However, the Sea Robbers quickly found their passing rhythm and intensity and on 25 minutes, Lepasa continued his scoring form, as he broke the deadlock for the home side and made it 2-0 on aggregate.
Djabal were fired up after that, as they looked for an immediate response but the Pirates defence stood firm and comfortable kept them at bay.
Jose Riveiro's charges regained control of the game towards the end of the first stanza but they could not carve out clear chances and there was concern on the stroke of halftime as Lepasa went down and needed medical attention after a tackle from behind and went to the break limping.
Djabal came back from the break with attacking intentions and that allowed the home side to find more spaces in the last third.
Maswanganyi eventually killed the game as he doubled the lead for Pirates just before the hour-mark and made it 3-0 on aggregate with with a great low strike from range that found the bottom corner.
The Buccaneers remained on the front foot as Lepasa made it 3-0 shortly thereafter with a close-range past the Djabal goalkeeper after a through ball in the centre of the box, taking his tally to eight goals this season.
Riveiro took the opportunity to introduce the fresh legs in the closing stages, as he brought on the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng, Marou Souaibou, Thabang Monare and Deon Hotto.
Mofokeng and Hotto in particular were lively after coming on for the Buccaneers, as they kept Djabal pinned back in their own half.
Marou almost got the fourth goal for the Soweto giants two minutes before time with a glancing header at the near post that missed narrowly wide while Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo missed a sitter in stoppage time, as the Buccaneers saw out the win.
Pirates will play the winner on aggregate between Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana and Ugandan side Vipers in the second preliminary round.
Here's how they lined up:
Orlando Pirates: Chaine, Monyane, Sibisi, Maela, Mako, Makaringe, Ndlondlo, Maswanganyi, Otladisa, Dlamini, LepasaSubs: Ofori, Mthethwa, Makhaula, Monare, Hotto, Mofokeng, Marou, Saleng, Eva Nga
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