Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer was pleased with winger Thembinkosi Lorch’s performance against Baroka following his return to the squad on Tuesday.

Lorch and Justin Shonga were suspended for reportedly breaching club protocols shortly after Pirates announced their squad for the encounter with Mamelodi Sundowns last week.

The Pirates winger has pleaded guilty to all club charges and has since apologised for his misdemeanour, accepting the sanction imposed on him by the club.

The 25-year-old has since been cleared to return to the squad following the finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings against him and the lifting of his suspension.

After being cleared to play, Lorch came on at the start of the second half as the Buccaneers drew 1-1 with Bakgaga at Emirates Airline Park last night.

‘He is important for us but his level has a question mark and we decided that [he would be] sitting on the bench and we brought him in. The quality is good,’ Zinnbauer said in a virtual media conference.

‘Lorch is a top player not [only] in our team, I think in the whole league. We have him and we will use his quality in the next games.’