Orlando Pirates advanced to the second round of the CAF Champions League with a dominant 7-0 aggregate victory over Lesotho side Lioli FC, sealing the deal with a commanding performance at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
The Buccaneers came into the return leg with a comfortable 3-0 lead from their first clash at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein last weekend. With Lioli offering little resistance across both fixtures, it was always going to be a mountain to climb for the visitors in Soweto.
Despite making several changes to the starting XI, Orlando Pirates remained ruthless. Tshepang Moremi opened the scoring just before half-time and doubled his tally three minutes after the restart, effectively putting the tie beyond reach.
New signing Yanela Mbuthuma, formerly of Richards Bay, marked his arrival in style by netting a brace—his first goals for Pirates—both coming from close-range finishes.
The victory not only highlights Pirates’ depth but also underlines their ambition to improve on last season’s campaign, where they reached the CAF Champions League semi-finals before bowing out to eventual champions Pyramids FC. Pyramids went on to edge Mamelodi Sundowns in the final, a result Pirates are determined to better this time around.
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