Klate and Hunt share the spoils in dramatic reunion

Even the greatest storytellers would have never scripted that Daine Klate would play his first match as a head coach against his long time mentor, Gavin Hunt.

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The two worked together at SuperSport, where they won three straight league titles, before reuniting some five years later with the now defunct Bidvest Wits, where they won another league title.

The result on Sunday was not one that either head coach (Klate is at Chippa United and Hunt is back at SuperSport) would have wished for, as both sides played out a dramatic 1-1 draw in their opening game of the DStv Premiership at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

The Chilli Boys drew first blood and it was Ronald Pfumbidzai who made the SuperSport supporters’ brass band lose its tune in the 17th minute when he headed home to give the visitors a lead. He benefited from a well-taken free kick to make sure that Ricardo Goss does not mark his Matsatsantsa A Pitori debut with a clean-sheet.

Goss’s night ultimately turned into a nightmare as he received a straight red card in stoppage time. He gathered the ball but Pfumbidzai kicked it off his hands and in retaliation, he poked Pfumbidzai with his fingers. At that point, SuperSport had already made all five substitutions and defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe had to man the goal for the rest of the game.

Much to the frustration of Hunt, Bradley Grobler had his shot saved by Lloyd Kazapua in the 20th minute. Kazapuza showed some fine reflexes to keep out Grobler’s attempt. While the Chippa goalie may have done enough to keep out Grobler’s attempt, the danger was not entirely extinguished as the pall fell onto the path of Iqraam Rayners, who did well to beat his marker before taking a shot at goal, only to see his attempt shave the crossbar.

Five minutes before the man in the middle blew his whistle to signal the end of the opening stanza, SuperSport were unlucky once more, hitting the woodwork, this time through the effort of Man of the Match Grant Margeman. The second half saw the hosts making the most of their home ground advantage, as they launched wave after wave of attacks, but their attempts were not good enough to trouble Kazapua.

In the 64th minute, Grobler showed why he is rated as one of the top strikers in the country when he leveled matters. SuperSport broke away through a counter attack led by Aubrey Ngoma, before Grobler did not think twice to open his scoring account.

SuperSport’s next appointment is a trip to AmaZulu while Chippa will host Royal AM this coming Wednesday.