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Hunt wary of counter-kings Stellenbosch
'Stellenbosch are always going to be difficult to play against,' said the four-time league winning coach.
Gavin Hunt expects a tough game against SuperSport United on Sunday. Picture: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix.
SuperSport United head back to Peter Mokaba Stadium, their makeshift home ground to take on the unpredictable Stellenbosch FC in an MTN8 Cup quarterfinal in Polokwane on Sunday.
Both teams will feel confident of progressing to the last four of the season’s first cup competition after a relatively encouraging start to the new 2023/2024 campaign.
Matsatsantsa a Pitori come into the game unbeaten after two games in the DStv Premiership with one victory and a frustrating draw against 10-man AmaZulu side in their last match.
“It’s at the start of the season and it always gives you a good idea of where your team is,” Hunt said about the lucrative competition he last won in 2016 with Bidvest Wits.
“When I won this cup the last time, I knew I’d win the league because our team was ready (Wits went on to win the 2016/17 DStv Premiership title too). Cup games take the pressure off if you have new players, for me league games have more pressure because they are more important.
“But there’s always been a high priority on cups in South Africa, it’s lucrative so the clubs look at it from that perspective and it gives the players a lift.”
Stellies shocked Orlando Pirates in the opening round of the league but were brought down to earth by Polokwane City who narrowly beat them 1-0 on Wednesday.
A tough afternoon
Hunt is expecting a tough afternoon against Steve Barker’s side in the competition where the champions will pocket a whopping R8 million.
“Stellenbosch are always going to be difficult to play against,” said the four-time league winning coach.
“It’s a different game you have to play against them. They will sit back and try to pounce so you have to be careful how you set up your team.
“We are a team that likes to get forward and get goals and some teams like that because they will sit back and wait for you.
“You can never predict a game of football, especially in South Africa so you have to be careful and we will prepare properly for Sunday. You can always have an underdog coming through like we’ve had many times in South Africa, so I don’t think it will be different.”
Kick off for the game is 6 pm.
