Staff Reporter.
Orlando Pirates brushed aside Royal Leopards of Eswatini 3-0 in a CAF Confederations Cup encounter at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday night.
Pirates climbed to the top of the group standings – two points clear of second-placed Al-Ittihad of Libya, who have a game in hand, while Eswatini’s Leopards remained fourth on the table without a single point.
Ingwe Mabalabala started the match brightly and they forced the Buccaneers into conceding several corner-kicks. Mzwandile Mabelesa’s headed effort from one of the corner-kicks narrowly missed goalkeeper Richard Ofori’s right upright.
Pirates launched most of their attacks in the left flank through Paseka Mako and Deon Hotto. Mako delivered a quality cross for Fortune Makaringe whose effort was brilliantly saved by keeper Ncamiso Dlamini as the hosts pushed for the opening goal.
The Buccaneers dominated possession, but they found it difficult to penetrate Ingwe Mabalabala’s tight defence which was marshalled by Mabelesa with the halftime break approaching. The score was 0-0 at the interval.
Pirates upped the tempo after the restart and they grabbed two goals within the first 11 minutes of the second-half. Makaringe marked his return to the starting with a stunning long-range effort from the touchline – beating Keeper Ncamiso Dlamini hands down to make it 1-0 to Pirates in the 48th minute
The goal unsettled Leopards’ defence and the visitors conceded again in the 56th minute. Goodman Mosele’s superb back-heel pass sent Kabelo Dlamini through on goal and the left-footed playmaker fired past Ncamiso Dlamini to make it 2-0 to Pirates.
Dlamini then provided the assist when Terrence Dzvukamanja extended Pirates’ lead to 3-0 with 30 minutes left on the clock. The Zimbabwe international headed home Kabelo Dlamini’s corner-kick to seal Pirates’ emphatic 3-0 victory over Leopards on the night.