Orlando Pirates got back to winning ways in the CAF Confederation Cup with a 6-2 thrashing of Royal Leopards at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday.
Leopards shocked the Bucanneers as they raced into an early 2-0 lead. In the fifth minute Happy Jele conceded a corner. The corner was delivered and it was headed out to Mzwandile Mabelesa, who buried the ball from the right side of the box into the bottom right corner.
The lead was doubled just two minutes later when Mancoba Maseko delivered into the box for Thabiso Mokenkoane, who headed into the bottom left corner.
Pirates immediately went in search of an equaliser as Deon Hotto chipped over the Leopards defence to locate Kwame Peprah, whose shot was blocked by the keeper.
The Bucanneers pulled one back in the 20th minute when Kabelo Dlamini's ball into the box was deflected into the Leopards net by Machawe Dlamini.
Leopards then won a free-kick in a promising position. Andy Junior Magagula curled the set-piece towards the near post and it was kept out by a solid save from Siyabonga Mpontshane.
Soon after, Shandu equalised for Pirates with his third goal in two CAF Confederations Cup matches when he ran onto a defense-splitting ball from Hotto and slotted clinically into the bottom left corner.
Pirates went in front right on the stroke of half-ime when Peprah headed home with Hotto once again the provider to cap a frenetic first-half.
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he Soweto giants were clearly dominant in the early exchanges of the second half and made it 4-2 in the 56th minute. Sifiso Matse gave away the free-kick and Hotto's delivery was headed in by captain Happy Jele, who was mobbed by his teammates.
Dlamini vindicated his inclusion in the starting line-up when he cut inside from the right and arrowed the ball into the top right corner and curled a sumptuous effort into the far corner on the hour mark for the fifth.
Pirates were running rampant and made it a four-goal advantage with ten minutes to go. The Buccaneers countered quickly and Peprah showed his vision as he played a superb pass for Terrence Dzvukamanja, whose left-footed shot found the bottom right corner to complete the rout.
The win takes Pirates top of Group B, two points ahead of Al-Ittihad who have played a game less.
Confirmed line-ups:
Pirates: Mpontshane, Jele, Ndah, Shandu, Mako, Monare, Mosele, Dlamini, Lorch, Hotto, Peprah
Subs: Sandilands, Dzvukamanja, Lepasa, Maela, Jooste, Makaringe, Makgaka, Mhango, Motshwari