Pirates Hammer Royal AM In DStv Premiership Clash

Orlando Pirates secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Royal AM in their DStv Premiership encounter at Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday.
The win strengthens the Soweto giants’ pursuit of second place and the coveted CAF Champions League qualification spot for next season. This comes after witnessing Stellenbosch FC thrash Polokwane City 5-0 on Saturday.
Pirates found the net through Patrick Maswanganyi (penalty), Thalente Mbatha, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Kabelo Dlamini. Notably, the latter three goals came in the second half.
The victory solidifies Pirates’ hold on third place with 43 points after 25 matches, three behind Steve Barker’s side.
This was the first meeting between the two teams at the Pietermaritzburg venue, where Royal AM relocated at the beginning of the season.
With strong crowd support behind them, Pirates delivered a comprehensive performance. The first goal came in the 29th minute when a penalty was awarded after Royal AM midfielder Sibusiso Magaqa brought down Monnapule Saleng. However, the decision was debatable as Saleng appeared to be outside the box when the foul occurred. Maswanganyi stepped up and converted the penalty past Royal AM goalkeeper Mondi Mpoto.
Royal AM nearly equalized just before halftime. Melusi Buthelezi, filling in for the suspended Sipho Chaine, tried to release the ball and conceded a free kick. Sedwyn George’s powerful effort rattled the crossbar, with Buthelezi getting a hand to the shot.
The second half belonged entirely to Pirates. They doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Mbatha, on loan from SuperSport United, received a perfectly weighted pass from Maswanganyi and slotted the ball past Mpoto for his first professional goal, which was met with joyous celebration.
Pirates continued to dominate, with Mofokeng tormenting the Royal AM defense on the flank. The young player, a contender for Young Player of the Season, scored the third goal in the 74th minute with a composed finish after a brilliant assist from Kabelo Dlamini.
Dlamini then turned from provider to scorer, firing home from an improbable angle in the 82nd minute to complete the rout and secure a resounding victory for Orlando Pirates.