Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt believes Sunday’s Soweto Derby win over rivals Orlando Pirates was well deserved.
DURBAN – Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt felt that his troops fully deserved their surprise 1-0 Soweto derby win over Orlando Pirates on Sunday afternoon after executing their plans well.
“I thought that the win was well deserved. I thought that we had the better chances in the game. We have to give them a space as we did not have as much quality as them so we had to do what we had to do. I told the players to stick to our plans and we will get better.
“The most important thing is that we denied them a lot of opportunities and I don’t think our goalkeeper (Daniel Akpeyi) made a single save which is good,” said Hunt.
The Glamour Boys won the much anticipated 100th Soweto derby after Samir Nurkovic scored with a stunning overhead kick in the second half, a strike which proved to be the only goal of the game.
Whilst Hunt paid tribute to the performance of the striker, he also said that he probably could have scored more goals had he been more lethal in the final third.
“The goal was a typical striker type of goal. I thought that he could have scored more goals. He had easier chances than the one he scored. The most important thing was that he played for the team and was good for the team. When you play as a striker, you need to work for the team and he did well,”
The goal would have been a welcome relief for Nurkovic as it was only his second goal of the season. The Serb last netted in January in a win over AmaZulu.
The win would also have been a welcome relief for Chiefs as it was their first in seven games. Prior to the game, their last victory was against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivandila in January.
One of the stars for Kaizer Chiefs on the day was 34-year-old captain Bernard Parker who was on point in midfield.
“He was outstanding. Obviously, we didn’t have many midfield players ready. He’s been playing midfield for the last couple of games and was brilliant in Angola,” said Hunt.
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Hunt felt that the best player for the side on the day was 21-year-old Njabulo Blom who not only defended well but also delivered an excellent delivery to Nurkovic in the dying stages of the game. Had Nurkovic not fluffed the opportunity, Chiefs could have killed off the game and taken a 2-0 lead.
“Blom was man of the match. He has got energy, he has got legs and he is what we need. He has got desire and we will get him better. The ball that he played through to Nurkovic was fantastic. He has got the work ethic and needs players around him who will make him better.
“I have got to persevering with the youngsters and believe in them,” said Hunt.
The win saw Chiefs move up to ninth in the league. However, Hunt’s troops still have a lot of work to do if they want to end what has been a frustrating campaign for them on a high note.
They will next be up against Wydad Casablanca in a CAF Champions League encounter after the international break.
IOL Sport
