Orlando Pirates made a winning start to their Carling Knockout title defence with a statement 3-0 victory over Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Tuesday night.

A brace from Tshepang Moremi and a strike from Thapelo Mokobodi earned Pirates a spot in the quarterfinals.

The Buccaneers commenced the game on the front foot, and they were able to create two chances as early as the fifth minute. First it was Ghamphani Lungu whose shot was saved by Siphamandla Hleza, and a few seconds later Moremi went narrowly wide of goal.

Pirates took the lead in the 15th minute when Moremi found Mokobodi with a perfectly weighted through pass, and the midfielder beat Hleza with a low shot.

Two minutes later, Olwethu Cele did well to block Ghampani Lungu’s shot just outside the box as Pirates continued to pile the pressure on Milford in search of the second goal.

It didn’t take long for them to find it as Moremi doubled Pirates’ lead in the 34th minute after he was found by a clever through pass from Mbatha, and he did well to round off Hleza before slotting the ball into an empty net.

In what was an identical move to his previous goal, Moremi grabbed his brace when he rounded the goalkeeper again and put the ball into the empty net. This time the provider was substitute Mpho Padime, who had come in for the injured Lungu just before the half-time break.

Pirates led 3-0 at the break.

Milford coach Xanti Pupuma made four changes at the start of the second half as he looked to change the complexion of the game.

But it was Pirates who almost scored their fourth goal in the 55th minute, but Padime’s deflected shot brushed the top of the net for a corner kick.

Abdeslam Ouaddou also made four changes just after the hour mark as he looked to rest some of his players for Saturday’s Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs.

Two of those substitutes combined in the 75th minute as Mohau Nkota set up Camren Dansin, whose shot was parried away by Hleza.

Thobani Bhengu wasted a good chance to pull one back for Milford in the 79th minute when he found himself unmarked inside the box, but his shot went over the crossbar from close range and it proved to be their last chance of the match.