Neutral venue a definite leveller
HUNT: AWKWARD GAME FOR BOTH CHIEFS AND WYDAD
Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt sees the neutral venue chosen for their previously abandoned Caf Champions League group C fixture against Wydad Athletic as an opportunity for his side.
Hunt says the venue, set for the Sunday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. will be awkward for both sides.
“We knew this game was going to place place either way, it was just a matter of where,” said Hunt.
“The one country I have never been to is Burkina Faso. I’ve been to Morocco, Tunisia...I’ve played everywhere.
“This is going to be new for me. I have to look at the pitch, see the size and where it is...But it also puts them on the back foot as well.
“They are the strongest side in the group with all their experience. Hopefully we can get a positive result there,” added the Amakhosi mentor.
Chiefs got their campaign in the group stage off to a satisfying, yet unexciting, start with a goalless draw at home against Horoya Athletic on Tuesday evening.
The Naturena side do however feel aggrieved as the referee got a decision wrong in ruling Samir Nurkovic’s 47th minute header out for offside.
“Just disappointed with the result, I thought we did enough to win the game. But that’s football, if you understand football you’ll know it’s one of those things.
“We kept playing and kept trying to get in there. It’s a good, positive result but disappointing because we were at home.
“I changed the inside midfield players and tried to get them into wider areas and it was right, it worked.
“We scored two goals, one of which was possibly offside and the other I am not so sure. It was a good effort from the players. The intensity was better, the attitude was good. We should have won the game but these things happen and we should grind through it,” added Hunt.
Amakhosi are third in their group with a point, Horoya are top with four and Wydad second with three. Petro de Luanda are fourth but unlikely to advance, having lost two games already.
The top two teams in each group go through to the quarterfinals.