CAPE TOWN – Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt praised his team for the character they showed in their titanic CAF Champions League second leg quarter-final clash in Dar-es-Salaam on Saturday.
Although Chiefs went down 3-0 in the Tanzanian capital, Amakhosi survived a frenetic final few minutes to hang on to their four-goal advantage from the first leg to advance to their maiden Champions League semi-final.
"It was obviously very difficult, but we dug in and got through. That's the most important thing," Hunt said.
ALSO READ: Kaizer Chiefs survive Simba SC onslaught and advance to Champions League semis
The teams were deadlocked after the first quarter before Simba FC captain John Bocco struck a brace either side of halftime. Clatous Chama added a third shortly before the final whistle that gave the home team hope of achieving the impossible.
"There was no danger for 25 minutes and they got a corner and they scored from it that put us a little bit back. And then they got another one in the second half and then another which caused us to defend for the last bit of time," Hunt said.
"They the home team. It was obvious they were going to throw numbers forward. They had four upfront and they played it long in there, so if you don't win the first ball and the second ball you have problems."
Hunt has been under severe pressure from the Amakhosi faithful for the team's poor form in the Dstv Premiership - Chiefs are 10th on the log - but he refused to take any personal credit for guiding the Soweto giants to their first ever continental semi-final.
"Well, it was history just to get into the group, and then... But obviously, ja... It's not for me, it's for the club. It has nothing to do with me, it's only the club," he said.
IOL Sport