SuperSport coach Hunt not embarrassed by Dondol defeat

Gavin Hunt has been in the game as a player and a head coach long enough to know that fabrics of a competition like the Nedbank Cup include the tale of ‘David versus Goliath’.

Last night, Hunt’s SuperSport United rewrote the biblical story of a young aspirant David who stoned down a mighty giant, Goliath.

ABC Motsepe side, Dondol Stars knocked the stars right out of Matsatsantsa A Pitori as they came from a goal down to stun SuperSport 2-1 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

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For a coach who has won the top-flight four times, it leaves a sour taste when he cannot navigate a way past minnows. But that is the nature of the game, says Hunt.

“Football is football. It happens all over the world where you get upsets like these, football is just like this,” said the United mentor.

Where did it go wrong?

Hunt made a host of changes to the side that won 2-0 against Cape Town City last weekend in the DStv Premiership. The biggest change was Hunt’s decision to slot Thamsanqa Gabuza at centre back.

Gabuza, a once Bafana Bafana striker, had the responsibility of marshaling the defence. That did not quite work out as SuperSport’s defence leaked two goals. However Hunt suggested that he might play him in that position if he has to.

“When you play these types of games you have to take your chances and score. We did not do that and they got two goals and the game ended up like it did. They rode the wave but we had enough chances and it was fair play to them.

“We gave players a chance because we have a long season coming that is no excuse for losing. We had players who were good enough to have won this game. But I take the responsibility,” said Hunt.

“You have to try and play the situation and you have to do the right thing. Will I do it again? Yes, I will do exactly the same thing. We have to look after the team.

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“We had entries around the box but we did not take the chances. Our goalkeepers never made a single save the whole game because they did not trouble him that much. Their ‘keeper had a couple of good saves. The winning goal was a big deflection,” the SuperSport coach added.