Hunt praises SuperSport grit in downing Royal AM

SuperSport head coach Gavin Hunt praised his team for sticking to their guns after they picked up a fourth win in five DStv Premiership matches with a 3-1 victory over Royal AM on Tuesday evening.

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Matsatsantsa dominated for much of the game, particularly in the first half, but couldn’t take their chances. They did take the lead after the break as Thamsanqa Gabuza headed home from Man-of-the-Match Patrick Maswanganyi’s cross.

Royal AM, however, with Abram Nteo now alone on the touchline after Khabo Zondo was reportedly fired, equalised in the 75^th minute as Mfundo Thikazi finished well from Menzi Masuku’s pass.

Just as it looked like the KZN side might snatch a point, Grant Margeman fired a brilliant long-range strike past Hugo Nyame, and Bradley Grobler put the seal on the win in stoppage time with his fourth league goal of the season.

“It was a very frustrating game,” Hunt told SuperSport TV after the match.

“In the first half we had good entries into the box, and we could have done better (with them).

“Then there was the penalty (in the second half, Bradley Grobler looked to be hauled down in the box, but the referee turned away SuperSport’s appeals.

“Their goal looked offside … and it looked like we were not going to get anything. But fair play to the players, they dug in. It was not our best performance but we need to get as many points as we can before the break (for the 2022 Fifa World Cup) and see where we are.”

Hunt also praised new signing Maswanganyi, who was livewire on the wing throughout, and who set up Gabuza’s opener with a fine cross.

“When I got here (to SuperSport), they hadn’t signed him for I don’t know how many months, and I said ‘sign him, he is versatile.’

“He is a good footballer he is not really a wide player but he was good he keeps the ball and will be good value for us. We need people who are versatile with the squad size we have.”

Nteo, meanwhile, was frank in his assessment of Royal AM’s performance.

“Today, from the first half we didn’t play well,” said Nteo.

“In the second half we tried … our guys were a bit slow, but it is a performance (in the second half) we can take and say we can improve on. But it was not our day today.”