Pirates equal record in eight-goal rout

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Orlando Pirates equalled the record winning margin for a South African Premiership game when they hammered Marumo Gallants 8-1 in Soweto on Tuesday.

The Buccaneers scored seven unanswered second-half goals to match SuperSport United, who beat Zulu Royals by the same score in the 2003-2004 season.

Victory kept second-placed Pirates three points behind defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who snatched a 1-0 win over AmaZulu in Durban despite having goalkeeper Ronwen Williams sent off.

Sundowns, seeking an eighth straight league title, have 27 points from 10 matches and Pirates 24 from nine in what is developing into a two-club championship race.

Pirates were ahead within a minute against lowly Marumo thanks to a Kenneth Nthatheni own goal, but conceded midway through the opening half when veteran Malawian Gabadinho Mhango equalised.

But after an evenly contested first half, in which play was suspended for 40 minutes due to lightning, the floodgates opened.

Tshegofatso Mabasa, the 16-goal leading Premiership scorer last season, claimed a hat-trick, and Thalente Mbatha netted twice and Deano van Rooyen and Boitumelo Radiopane once each.

“It was a great Christmas present for our supporters. I am honoured to be part of this special team,” said Mabasa.

Elsewhere, Williams was red-carded for handling the ball outside the area on 58 minutes eight days after winning the 2024 CAF goalkeeper of the year and club player of the year awards.

Hendrick Ekstein later struck the woodwork for struggling AmaZulu before leading Premiership scorer Iqraam Rayners scored in the final minute of regular time for Sundowns.

The South African international forward nodded a free-kick past former Ghana goalkeeper Richard Ofori for his sixth goal of the campaign.

Rayners has netted 10 times in all domestic competitions this season and claimed three goals in the CAF Champions League.

© Agence France-Presse

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