Orlando Pirates see off Royal AM after first-half goal blitz

The Buccaneers had raced into 3-0 lead after 35 minutes thanks to a brace of goals from Zakhele Lepasa and another by Monnapule Saleng.

The visitors hit back with Hopewell Cele and Mxolisi Macuphu finding the back of the net but Bandile Shandu sealed the contest for  the hosts in injury-time.

The Soweto giants took the lead in the 15th minute when Relebohile Ratomo was brought down in the box and Lepasa made no mistake from spot.

The second goal arrived on the half-hour mark when Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo won the ball in midfield and released Saleng who curled home a beautiful left-footed shot past goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto.

It was 3-0 five minutes later when the Royal AM defence were caught out by a long ball from Pirates shot-stopper Sipho Chaine and found Lepasa with the forward showing good composure to finish.

Royal AM head coach John Maduka was frustrated with his team and made four substitutions with five minutes of the opening half still remaining.

One of the those subs, Cele, managed to pull a goal back as the visitors went into the interval with some hope of salvaging something from the contest.

The teams were more evenly matched after the break with Maduka's charges certainly benefiting from the tactical changes that he made.

Royal AM were rewarded for their improved display in the 88th minute when Macuphu pulled a second goal back after an error from Chaine.

The crowd inside the Orlando Stadium began to feel anxious but Pirates were not to let a three-goal lead slip as substitute Shandu sealed the victory deep into stoppage-time.

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