SuperSport coach Hunt agrees that league title belongs to Sundowns

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has echoed the sentiment of Swallows FC boss Ernst Middendorp and others that no-one will catch runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title in 2022-23.

Sundowns have an 11-point lead over second-placed Richards Bay FC (29 points from 16 games) and 13 over SuperSport (27 from 15) at the halfway stage, ahead of SuperSport’s match with Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld on Monday (6pm).

Promoted upstarts Richards Bay might be expected to fall off the pace in the second half of the season. Fourth-placed Kaizer Chiefs suffered a big setback to their hopes of challenging for the title with a 4-0 defeat to AmaZulu at the weekend. Fifth-placed Orlando Pirates produced late goals to beat Golden Arrows 3-1, but at 18 points behind Downs they must be out of the race. 

That leaves Sundowns on 40 points from 16 games. 

If there is a team that might apply some pressure it is SuperSport who, with a reduced budget and a squad of veterans and promoted youngsters, have been impressive in Hunt’s return to the club where he enjoyed his most success in the late 2000s.

But even Hunt downplays such a scenario.

“If you look at the points difference, realistically I don’t think anybody can make up 13 points,” he said.

“That’s out of reach so let’s just try to concentrate on what we’re trying to do, try to make as many points as we can and see where we end up.”

Hunt said he is down to 15 or 16 able-bodied outfield players after a 2-1 defeat in SuperSport’s last game away against Arrows on January 7, a result that denied United the chance to go to halfway on 30 points.

“I thought a week ago at two points a game we were doing well. And right now we’re not there, we’re just under that,” the coach said.

“I thought if we could get to 30 at the halfway point it would be a great achievement. But it’s not where you are now, it’s where you are at the end of the season [that matters].

“We’ve got capable players. I believe in these ones here.

“We'll try to set up a way we want to play [against Sundowns]. Obviously it’s going to have to be different because different players give you different scenarios.

“It’s about picking the team, not picking the team up. We’re down to maybe 15 or 16. It is what it is — we look forward to the challenge. If anything, we'll go down playing football the right way,” Hunt said.

“The ball possession is going to be 80/20 to them, so what we do with our 20% is important and what they do with their 80% will be important.

“We’ll try to be efficient and good at what we do, and the rest must take care of itself.”

SuperSport had gone six games unbeaten, winning five before their loss to Arrows.

Sundowns have lost once in 16 matches in all competitions, winning 14 of those.