Hunt raves about SuperSport’s young guns who shot down Orlando Pirates

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has hailed the young players who came through for the team and landed a major blow in the race for second place in the DStv Premiership beating Orlando Pirates 3-1 in Polokwane on Saturday.

Shandre Campbell, the 18-year-old teen who is one of a staggering 11 players from SuperSport's DStv Diski Challenge reserve side who been given debuts by Hunt this season, deservedly drew the headlines for a superbly-taken brace.

A player who scored eight goals in 26 appearances in the 2022-23 DDC confirmed the potential shown in now 14 league and cup appearances since being man-of-the-match in United's season-opening win against Richards Bay FC in August with his first two top flight goals.

Hunt pointed out his centrebacks- 19-year-old Ime Okon, who continues to impress, and 20-year-old Bilal Baloyi — were both under 21, with the latter making his first league start after two substitute appearances.

Left-back Keagan Johannes is 22 and has already made more than 50 league appearances in three seasons since signing from then first division Cape Town Spurs.

“Two young centrebacks. People said I was crazy to put Bilal in — I thought he was magnificent,” Hunt said.

“I said, 'If we lose with him playing his first game then we can [still] only win with the young players'. And these young players have been magnificent this week.

“We have given 11 debutants from the Diski team this season. It's crazy. And seven new players. That's 17 new players.

“And we're punching. We can't win the league. But we're punching and we just keep going and try do the best we can and put a team out.

“We've lost all our centrebacks, and these two kids tonight were magnificent at the back.”

Matsatsantsa went into the game with a one-point lead over third-placed Pirates in second place to Mamelodi Sundowns and extended that to four — United now have 29 points from 16 matches and Bucs 25.

Sundowns, who have won all 11 matches, have 33 points ahead of their meeting against Cape Town City at Cape Town on Sunday (3.30pm). The Brazilians, whose only challenge to cantering to an astounding seventh title in succession is their heavy match load, will have to work hard to preserve their 100% record against Eric Tinkler's tough, fourth-placed City.

Hunt has battled injuries as his team have contended with a tough programme as they also compete in the Caf Confederation Cup. While SuperSport's mix of youngsters and veterans have hit a measure of form — six league and cup games without a win have been followed by a first win in the Confed against Al Hilal Benghazi in midweek sandwiched by two league victories — Hunt said he will welcome the Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break to regroup.

He again seemed wary of singing the praises of the talented Campbell.

“He's got great attributes, he's got goals in him — he was the top scorer last season in the Diski,” the coach said.

“We lost [Katlego] Maseko [to Sundowns], which was a huge blow to me — I'm still crying about it. But we've got this young Cambell coming up.

“That's our club, it's built around that. Honesty, integrity, hard work, players. We might not have the best players but we've got to build the team every year.

“Seventeen players [coming in]. Next year it'll be another 17. I mean, we're losing players.

“Teboho Mokoenea, Ronwen Williams, it's been a conveyor belt here. So you can only commend the youth development, good scouting; the structure, how we want to play the game, which is the most important thing so there's a bit of continuation through the [age] groups.

“Our team won the Diski last season and I've taken 11 of those players in the first team this season. And the youngsters have done very well.

“We're going to lose games, but we won't lose [as a club] — we'll definitely benefit in the long run.”

Hunt does not foresee SuperSport mounting s serious challenge on leaders and six-time successive champions Sundowns for the title.

“They've got a far better squad. And we'll probably run them close. But we've just got to do our best.”