Hunt eager to play fiery Gabadinho
Striker available for TKO final after spitting ban
Gabadinho Mhango has returned from a six-match ban for a spitting incident in time for Bidvest Wits’ Telkom Knockout final against Bloemfontein Celtic, and coach Gavin Hunt seems eager to hand the striker a role despite his lengthy absence.
The fiery Malawian forward served a six-match suspension, handed to him by the Premier Soccer League, late last month for spitting at AmaZulu midfielder Michael Morton in Wits’ 3-0 Absa Premiership defeat in Durban on September 20.
Mhango is available to be fielded in Saturday’s final at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban (6pm kickoff) .
Hunt was asked whether he was concerned that the destructive forward’s lengthy absence might affect Mhango’s sharpness.
“Please. God. It doesn’t. You know‚ we need a guy like that. He gives us pace‚ he gives us an outlet. Listen‚ he’s not in the greatest goal-scoring form‚ is he?
“He hasn’t scored since the second round last year in the league‚ when we won the league,” Hunt said.
“I mean, he started off well for us‚ and he did well. But then he just went off the boil,” said the coach.
“But he’s a guy who’s different to what we’ve got‚ and that’s important.
“We haven’t had that. We’re very static and the movement hasn’t been good. I mean‚ for the last few games‚ if we’d had him‚ possibly we would have got something from him.”
Mhango last scored for Wits in a 3-0 win against Lamontville Golden Arrows in April on the way to the club winning their first league title last season. However, the physical‚ strong-running presence of the powerful forward and his shock value have been missed by the Johannesburg club as they have sagged to last place in the PSL this season after 11 matches.