Football
Nick Said, Special to ESPN 7y

BidVest Wits have one hand on the league title

BidVest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has warned his side not to get ahead of themselves as they close in on a first South African league title in the club's 96-year history.

Wits lead title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns by three points and are a further two in front of third-placed Cape Town City, the only other side with a mathematical chance of catching them in the race for the championship.

All three clubs have three matches remaining. Cape Town City has a tough task away from home on Tuesday against SuperSport United; before Wits visit bogey side Free State Stars and Sundowns entertain relegation-threatened Baroka FC on Wednesday.

Hunt was highly critical of his side's performance in their 1-0 victory against Maritzburg United on Sunday, suggesting his players were driving him to drink after saying he needed "a cold beer" in the wake of the nervous win secured through a Phumlani Ntshangase header.

He is now calling on all his experience of winning three league titles in a row between 2008 and 2010 with former club SuperSport United.

"We were poor," he said of the Maritzburg win, blaming fatigue. "The legs of my players have gone. I told them at halftime that a set-piece would decide the game.

"It wasn't pretty football, but what can I expect from my team after so many matches in the past eight weeks?"

Hunt says he has told his players they should not be thinking too far ahead, and to literally take the remaining three matches this season minute-by-minute.

"If you're going there and are worried about the end result, you're going to have a problem," he says. "Let's play the first minute, then second minute, then third minute. You can't get ahead of yourself in this game.

"We must stop thinking about, 'oh you need nine points, oh you need to win this game'. You will not able to move. I have been in this situation, in the last days, players couldn't move," he said.

Wits may hold the advantage at the moment, but have arguably the toughest run-in with difficult away trips to Stars and Kaizer Chiefs on the final day of the season.

^ Back to Top ^