Orlando Pirates claimed a resounding 4-1 victory over Maritzburg United in DStv Premiership action on Tuesday night.
Pirates were unchanged from their CAF Confederation Cup final defeat to Moroccan giants RS Berkane on Friday, while Maritzburg made one switch from their win over Baroka FC, with Riyaaz Ismail replacing Nazeer Allie.
Pirates should have taken the lead soon afterwards when Kabelo Dlamini’s through ball exposed a gaping hole in the Maritzburg defence for Thembinkosi Lorch to run into but the Buccaneers marksmen’s effort was straight at Maritzburg gloveman Marcel Engelhardt.
It was a frenetic start to the match with chances coming thick and fast in the opening exchanges. Samu was at the heart of things for Maritzburg when he headed over before Lorch worked a yard of space in the box and his brilliant curled effort towards the bottom left corner came off the upright and back to a grateful Engelhardt.
Lorch would get his goal when once again the Maritzburg defence was badly exposed as this time he curled the ball accurately into the far corner past an onrushing Engelhardt after being released through on goal by a long ball over the top from Deon Hotto.
Pirates went about doubling their lead with an urgency and worked a short corner to Hotto on the right-hand side of the box with the Namibian curling an in-swinging cross into the box which was headed goalwards by an unmarked Happy Jele with the ball coming back off the upright.
The hosts would take a deserved 2-0 lead into the break when Lorch got in down the right-hand side to the byline and squared into the box for Kwame Peprah to finish from close range.