Orlando Pirates netted a goal in each half as they defeated Cape Town City 2-0 in their DStv Premiership encounter played at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night.
Returning to domestic action after a successful outing in continental competition, head coach Jose Riveiro made a single change to the team that started on the league visit to Chippa United seven days ago as Paseka Mako replaced Deon Hotto on the left hand side of the defence.
As they have done consistently on home turf this season, the Buccaneers were again quick to assert their dominance as they immediately set up camp inside the opposition half early on.
The payoff came just nine minutes from the first whistle and it was through an excellent strike from Zakhele Lepasa, who fired into the top corner after making an excellent turn on the edge of the area to bag his ninth goal in all competitions this season.
Pirates remained in firm control as they continued to dictate matters with Patrick Maswanganyi and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo featuring prominently in the middle of the park, while City’s attempts at pushing forward in search of the equaliser were stifled as the hosts maintained their shape.
The visitors did manage to get an opportunity through a free kick in front of the Buccaneers’ goal midway through the first half. The set piece was taken by Thabiso Kutumela, whose effort was nowhere near the target.
Bucs keeper Sipho Chaine was called into action for the first time 35 minutes into the encounter, but was barely troubled as he comfortably gathered Tshegofatso Nyama’s shot from a fair distance out.
There were chances late in the first half for the hosts as they effected a goalmouth scramble seven minutes from break with neither one of Saleng and Lepasa allowed to get the decisive shot away. This was moments before Mako’s excellent cross from the right located Thabang Monare, who did not connect well enough with the ball to trouble City goalkeeper Darren Keet.
The second half kicked off with Pirates attempting to pick up where they left off in the first period with Relebohile Mofokeng drawing a save from Keet with a long-range effort six minutes after the restart.
The Buccaneers found their defence stretched just seconds after, leading to a close attempt from an unmarked Taahir Goedeman, whose shot drifted wide.
The end-to-end pattern continued as Lepasa drew a save from Keet on the hour mark when he attempted to deflect a superb ball from Saleng into the net, five minutes before Chaine was forced into a stop of his own when he tipped Khanyisa Mayo’s looping effort over the crossbar.
Desperate to create daylight between themselves and the visitors, Pirates enjoyed another dominant passage of play, and reward was reaped 15 minutes from the final whistle when Maswanganyi ran into a brilliant low cross from Deon Hotto, with his first-time shot taking the ball over the line to make it 2-0.
City responded by making their way up field, where Chaine was forced to stretch to his left to deny Jaedin Rhodes.
However, the visitors continued to enjoy more opportunities and could have extended their lead further late in the encounter as Lepasa came close to doubling his tally in the game’s final minute with a low shot that drew a save from Keet.
With no time left for the visitors to complete a comeback, the Soweto Giants comfortably held on to their two-goal lead as they continued their impressive form on home turf.
Pirates XI: Chaine, Xoki, Sibisi (Maela 46’), Shandu (Monyane 77’), Mako, Monare, Ndlondlo (Timm 71’), Saleng (Dlamini 61’), Mofokeng (Hotto 61’), Maswanganyi, Lepasa.
