SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has told his players to pick themselves up and fight against Orlando Pirates in the league at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm), bemoaning lack of depth in his squad.
This after struggling Matsatsantsa were thumped 4-0 by Kaizer Chiefs in the first round of the Carling Knockout at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday. Pirates are also licking their wounds as they were stunned 3-2 by Magesi in their last 16 tie at home, also on Saturday. It was Bucs' first defeat of the season across all tournaments.
“The next game is always the most important. We go again against Pirates. We are so short in numbers [suggesting their squad is thin] but we've got to pick ourselves up and go again,'' Hunt said.
SuperSport will be without promising midfielder Gape Moralo after he was sent off in the 79th minute against Chiefs. Chadian midfielder Éric Mbangossoum, who remained an unused substitute against Chiefs, is likely to start alongside Siphesihle Ndlovu in the midfield in Moralo's absence.
Matsatsantsa have 35 registered players but the majority of them are development graduates without top-flight experience, while the long-term injuries of Bradley Grobler and Grant Margeman have further complicated things for Hunt's outfit.
SuperSport have won just one of their six games across all competitions this season, beating TS Galaxy in their third league game. Matsatsantsa's major downfall has been bluntness upfront, scoring just two goals from the six fixtures they've been involved in this season.
Hunt again felt their poor conversion rate let them down against Chiefs, insisting they played well as he lauded his troops for the “effort and commitment”. After facing Pirates, Hunt's side take on Chiefs again, in the league, also at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
“I feel like we created so many opportunities [against Chiefs] and we didn't take them. The scoreline is certainly not the true reflection of the game. We should have scored but you can't fault the commitment and effort. I think we played really well but you have to score and that's something we need to work on,'' Hunt said.
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