Orlando Pirates emerged as 4-2 winners over Royal AM in a DStv Premiership match played at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night.
The victory saw the Buccaneers record their maiden victory of the season which elevated them to the third spot on the league standings and they will now face Sekhukhune United in an MTN8 clash on Saturday.
Royal, on the other hand, remain winless this season and they are placed 12th on the DStv Premiership standings ahead of their league encounter against Stellenbosch FC on August 18.
The Buccaneers exerted pressure on the Thwihli Thwahla’s defence from the first minute and they were awarded a penalty after Patrick Maswanganyi was fouled in the box, and the resultant penalty was converted by Zakhele Lepasa to hand Pirates a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.
The goal rattled the visitors’ defence and they conceded again in the 29th minute when reigning DStv Premiership Player’s Player of the Season Monnapule Saleng netted to make it 2-0 to Pirates with a curling effort with Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo providing the assist.
Things went from bad to worse for Royal when Lepasa got behind the visitors’ defence to collect a long ball from goalkeeper Sipho Chaine before hitting the back of the net to make it 3-0 to Pirates much to the delight of the home crowd.
However, Royal managed to pull one back through Hopewell Cele who netted with a right-footed shot in the first-half stoppage time after the hosts were caught napping at the back and the score was 3-1 to Pirates at the interval.
Thwihli Thwahla came back an improved side after their halftime team talk with coach John Maduka and they managed to reduce the deficit in the 88th minute when Mxolisi Macuphu netted to make it 3-2 following a mistake by Chaine.
The goal did not deter the Buccaneers who surged forward in numbers and they grabbed their fourth goal in stoppage time as Bandile Shandu netted to seal Pirates’ 4-2 victory with Ndlondlo registering his second assist of the night.