An acid test for Hunt and his men
WITS MEET BUCS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS Coach confident his side can achieve a top eight place.
Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt remains positive that his side can finish the season in the top half of the Absa Premiership standings with three games remaining ahead of their fixture with Orlando Pirates which will be played behind closed doors at the Orlando Stadium tonight.
The Clever Boys are sitting 10th in the league standings with 33 points in the bag after 27 matches. The reigning PSL champions have endured rather a poor campaign which has seen them register only eight wins, nine draws and lose 10 games.
Wits will head into this game having been knocked out of the Caf Confederation Cup group stage play-offs by Nigerian side Enyimba FC after failing to overturn a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Bidvest Stadium, before playing to a goalless draw with the Nigerians in Lagos.
And more recently, the Johannesburg outfit were fortunate to walk away with a point against Polokwane City in a league match which ended 1-1 at their homeground on Sunday after winger Vincent Pule equalised for the home side towards the end of the match after City defender Thapelo Tshilo put Rise and Shine up five minutes into the second half.
Ahead of their clash with Bucs, Hunt hopes his charges forget about their previous results, particularly the Caf tie against Enyimba, stating it was always difficult to play in Africa.
“I do not think it’s our legs (that is the problem) but mentally we have been through a lot. People still criticise us saying we undermine intercontinental competitions, but you cannot play in Africa. It is crazy – tackles, red cards and disallowed goals. We still have nine points to play for (in the PSL). I am sure we can finish in the top eight. Anything is achievable in football,” said the Wits coach.
Bucs, meanwhile, are chasing Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who are on 55 points, while the Buccaneers are second with 49 points.