Hunt hits out at referee as Clever Boys slide to defeat in Cairo

Bidvest Wits returned from Cairo yesterday, beaten but definitely not broken in their bid to make it to the 2017 Caf Champions League group stages.

The Clever Boys will have a 1-0 deficit to turn around against Egyptian giants AlAhly at the Bidvest Stadium on Sunday, and will have to do so without their suspended captain Thulani Hlatshwayo (right), the central defender booked for time-wasting in the early stages of the game in Cairo.

Suffice to say, Wits coach Gavin Hunt was not impressed with the performance of Moroccan referee Redouane Jiyed.

“We got five yellow cards and they got none. It was a Moroccan referee in an Egyptian game, do me a favour,” said Hunt.

“Tyson (Hlatshwayo) was booked for time-wasting and the game had just started.”

The Wits coach was pleased with his side’s performance, even though they went down to Ahmed Hegazy’s 57th-minute header.

“Until they scored we were the better team … we played well, we had our moments and it was a good experience. We were brave, we got bullied a lot, but we stood up to it and are still in it (the game) … we had some good scoring moments and didn’t use them and they got a corner and scored … they are such a big team, their size is always a threat.”

Hunt, meanwhile, is confident his side can turn the tie around on Sunday.

“Picture the scene, Wits v Al-Ahly, 50 years ago can you ever imagine this would have happened, we have done bloody well to get where we are and I really think we have a chance.”

Wits were one of three South African sides to lose the first leg of their continental ties away from home this weekend.

In the Caf Confederation Cup, Platinum Stars lost 1-0 on Saturday to Vipers of Uganda, while on Sunday, Stuart Baxter’s SuperSport United were beaten 3-2 in Sudan by Al-Ahly Shendi.

“For me the biggest factor was the pitch … I don’t know how Caf can approve that type of pitch, it was on a hill. We played uphill one half and downhill the next half,” said Stars coach Cavin Johnson, whose team will host the second leg on Saturday.

SuperSport are in a better position, having at least secured two away goals, through Mario Booysen and Jeremy Brockie, for when they host the Sudanese on Sunday in Atteridgeville.