Orlando Pirates ended their pre-season camp in Spain with a 2-0 victory over Granada CF on Saturday evening.
Buccaneers coach Abdeslam Ouaddou handed starts to Sipho Mbule, Karim Kimvuidi, Boitumelo Radiopane, Sinoxolo Kwayiba and Lebone Seema following their goalless draw against Las Palmas.
Th Soweto giants enjoyed a lot of the ball in the early stages, with Mbule getting a few good touches in the middle of the park while Tshepang Moremi and Thapelo Xoki had a couple chances at goal inside the opening 20 minutes.
While Granada struggled to carve out chances, Pirates had some nice combinations going as Tshepo Mashiloane exchanged passes with Moremi on the right flank before forcing the Granada goalkeeper into a good save.
That proved to be the final chance for the Buccaneers in the first half, while Granada did manage to force a save out of goalkeeper Sipho Chaine just before the halftime break.
The Spanish side should have opened the scoring six minutes after the break, as Lucas Boye rose above his marker to meet an in-swinging corner but he sent his header just wide of the upright, before Relebohile Mofokeng was denied by Granada goalkeeper Luca Zidane at the other end minutes later.
Pirates' struggles with defending set-piece nearly came back to haunt them as an unmarked Boye was gifted the perfect chance, but the Granada striker sent his header wide of the mark with only young Siyabonga Dladla to beat.
Chances were falling at both ends in the latter stages as Kabelo Dlamini was denied by Granada goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation while Boye hit the woodwork with a volley at the other end after Pirates failed to deal with another set-piece.
Ouaddou's charges finally got the opening goal with ten minutes left on the clock through Patrick Maswanganyi, who pounced on a rebound in the box and calmly slotted into the back of the net.
Mofokeng sealed the win for Pirates in second-half stoppage time after latching onto a pass from Yanela Mbuthuma before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into an empty net.
Here's how they line up:
Orlando Pirates: Chaine, Xoki, Seema, Mbokazi, Mashiloane, Selepe, Mbule, Kwayiba, Moremi, Kimvuidi, Radiopane
