Gavin Hunt says Stellenbosch FC deserved more after AmaZulu defeat

Stellenbosch FC head coach Gavin Hunt says his team should not have lost their opening Betway Premiership match after AmaZulu secured a 1-0 victory in a home fixture played in Durban.

The Cape Winelands club were officially the home side but had to stage the match at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium because suitable venues in the Western Cape were unavailable.

AmaZulu, known as Usuthu, took all three points through Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya’s second-half penalty. Hunt felt the result failed to reflect Stellenbosch’s performance, arguing that his side had played well and had been beaten after AmaZulu made the most of a counter-attack and the decisive spot-kick.

“Yeah, I’m disappointed. I don’t think we deserved to lose the game, not by one or the other, no chance,” said Hunt.

“But they got the break, they got the penalty, so that’s it. Not much I can say about that, but I don’t think we deserved to lose the game.”

The defeat leaves Stellenbosch FC without a point from the opening match of their Betway Premiership campaign, while Hunt’s frustration was heightened by the circumstances surrounding the fixture.

The club’s difficulties in finding a venue in Cape Town meant they began the season away from their usual surroundings, despite being listed as the home team. Hunt said that situation had made the loss harder to accept, particularly because he believed the players had done enough to avoid defeat.

“Yeah, it’s not quite easy to accept a defeat like this one when obviously you have all the circumstances [not having home venue] like that going on,” he added.

“It leaves an even bitter taste in your mouth because, as I said, if you talk about footballers, they didn’t deserve to lose that game.

“And it’s very difficult because you take a defeat, but we’ve got to take it and move on and try and go from here.”

Hunt acknowledged that the result had to be accepted despite his assessment of the contest. Stellenbosch FC will now attempt to respond from their opening setback, with the manager insisting that the team must use the performance as a platform to move forward.

For AmaZulu, Ngwenya’s penalty proved enough to settle a closely contested encounter and give Usuthu victory in the first game of the campaign. For Stellenbosch FC, the match was marked not only by a narrow defeat but also by the continuing uncertainty over where the team can play its home fixtures in the Western Cape.