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Gavin Hunt at a loss for words as Chiefs lose again: 'It’s very difficult to explain – I don’t know'

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt cuts a frustrated figure during a match.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt cuts a frustrated figure during a match.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt battled to explain a second DStv Premiership defeat to relegation candidates in the space of a week to his team‚ 2-1 against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on Tuesday night.

The loss at Peter Mokaba Stadium‚ playing with 10 men for the majority of the game‚ took Chiefs to three matches without a win where they have earned one point from a possible nine.

In their previous two matches Chiefs lost against then-15th-placed Chippa United at FNB Stadium last Wednesday‚ then drew 2-2 against 11th-positioned Bloemfontein Celtic‚ spurning a 2-0 lead‚ at Dr Molemela Stadium on Saturday. TTM were also in 15th coming into Wednesday’s match-up‚ their win against Chiefs moving them back to 14th and knocking Chippa back into the playoff position.

These results followed a 2-1 win against Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria that came decidedly against form for Amakhosi. Revealing statistics are that Chiefs have won four times in 21 matches in all competitions‚ and twice in 14 in the league.

This has left Hunt not just battling for answers to explain another poor result‚ but also how Chiefs are going to start earning the points they desperately need to break into the top eight‚ and avoid matching or worse than their two lowest finishes of ninth place.

“It’s very difficult to explain – I don’t know. It’s actually mindboggling what I see. I thought we deserved a bit more‚ again‚” Hunt said after a defeat that saw Chiefs locked in ninth with just four Premiership matches left to play.

“But‚ you know‚ making mistakes. It’s inexcusable to make mistakes like that. But‚ yeah‚ we just battle on.”

Asked how the result affected Chiefs’ ambitions of breaking into the top eight‚ Hunt responded: “A lot. We’ve got four games left‚ we’re going to have to try and win‚ certainly‚ the four of them and then see from there.”

Chiefs had key midfield presence Njabulo Blom sent off for a second bookable offence in the 38th minute against TTM‚ and his suspension adds to an injury list that can make Chiefs’ top eight ambitions even more of an uphill battle. Hunt said his side at least have a week to regroup before hosting fourth-placed Swallows FC at FNB on Wednesday.

“This is the longest break we’re going to have now – seven days. And after what we’ve been through in the last three weeks‚ well since December‚ we’ll have a couple of days and try and regroup and go again‚” he said.

TTM’s Thabo Rakhale scored soon after Blom’s dismissal‚ in the 42nd. Lebogang Manyama equalised following up to his own saved penalty in the 66th. In the dying seconds of the sixth and final minute of added time Siyagonga Ngezana was unfortunate to hand-ball‚ Thabo Mnyamane scoring the 98th-minute winner from the spot.