Stellenbosch coach Gavin Hunt was delighted with his side’s upset win over holders Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup on Wednesday, a rare home win for the team over their long-time nemesis.
Chiefs had won seven of their 11 previous away games against Stellenbosch but were bundled out of the competition 2-1 as Stellenbosch booked berth in the last-16 for themselves.
“I thought it was a proper cup tie, and we certainly deserved the first two goals. We could have been out of sight then, but then they got back in the game a little bit and, yeah, they had one or two chances,” said Hunt in his analysis of the game.
“(In the second half) they got the goal, and then we should have made a 3-1 there at the end of the game. I thought that was the best chance of the game. But our keeper (Sage Stephens) made some good saves, sure. That's his job.
“It was a hell of a cup tie, I thought, it was a hell of a game on a very difficult pitch. In the end we had to see it out and I thought we did that well. It was important,” added Hunt.
Devin Titus’ wonder goal from long range, which proved the difference, saw him voted man of the match although Hunt had a different opinion.
“I thought there were so many players who played really well, go stuck in. But then we got out of it a little bit after we went 2-0 up, I thought we got a little bit cocky. We tried to make it three and four, and then the space becomes bigger, and that's when they (Chiefs) get good because they play in the spaces, half spaces, and I thought, once we closed the space back down again, there was no entry there. So, I thought it was good,” he said.
“For me, man of the match was Wonderboy Makhubu, I thought he was outstanding. You know, that's a proper striker leading the line and he could have scored at the end.”