ORLANDO Pirates have bounced back to winning ways in fine style, soothing the pain they endured in their heartbreaking defeat in the final of the Caf Confederations Cup.
The Soweto giants thumped Maritzburg United 4-1 in a DStv Premiership encounter at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday to put their painful loss in the continental final behind them.
Thembinkosi Lorch, Kwame Peprah, Deon Hotto and Kabelo Dlamini got the goals for the Soweto giants while Friday Samu, United’s main man, was once again on the scoresheet for the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.
Bucs, who were beaten 5-4 on penalties against RS Berkane of Morocco at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Nigeria last Friday, were desperate for a reaction as they switched their attention back to the league.
And with little room for error in their final three matches of the season, Pirates could not afford to drop points against the Team of Choice if they wish to qualify for the Caf Champions League.
They need to win all their games in hand in order to finish on 49 points, level with Cape Town City and hope that they have a better goal difference than Eric Tinkler’s Citizens.
And Pirates signaled their intentions early against Maritzburg, breaking the deadlock through Lorch in the 20th minute before quickly doubling up through Peprah just before half time.
Pirates, who had not scored from their last three outings in the league, suddenly regained their appetite for goals as they added a third through Hotto in the 60th minute.
The Team of Choice finally managed to pull one back three minutes later thanks to their talismanic Zambian marksman Samu but their joy was short-lived as Dlamini bagged Pirates fourth in the 69th minute.
The result saw Bucs move to sixth on the Premiership table with 43 points.
They next face Royal AM at Chatsworth Stadium on Friday (7.30pm).
