Hunt points to quality gap after defeat against another 'Big Three' opponent

Gavin Hunt walked off the Moses Mabhida pitch on Saturday knowing the script had become painfully familiar. Durban City had fought, created chances and pushed one of the league’s giants to the limit — yet still finished on the wrong end of the scoreline. 

Their 2–0 defeat to Orlando Pirates means City have now fallen to all of the traditional Big Three this season: Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Pirates. But Hunt was adamant that the reasons were far more structural than psychological.

“No,” he said, when asked whether his team’s temperament was the problem in these marquee fixtures. 

“It’s just the level in quality, that’s all. Their squads are strong if you compare the squads, and so the better the team you play, if you make a mistake then you’re gonna get punished.”

City made two mistakes — and were punished twice.

“The first goal came from a throw-in in their half and the ball is turned over and straight to a goal. The second goal, the wrong defender heads the ball for us and it results into a goal,” Hunt explained.

“So, it’s those types of errors that decide these games, but in terms of effort and attitude, we’re perfect.”

It was a result that stung largely because City had started superbly. Their high press rattled Pirates early, and the hosts carved out the clearest chances of the first 20 minutes. Hunt remains convinced that the match could have shifted dramatically had his team taken advantage.

“I’m disappointed obviously,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a fair result because I think we should’ve gotten three or four in the first half and made it difficult.”

As has been the case in defeats to Sundowns and Chiefs, City were undone by their inability to convert promising passages of play into goals — an area Hunt sees as the defining difference between his squad and the league’s elite.

“I think we put a lot into the game and got nothing out of it,” Hunt reflected. “And I guess the difference is the quality at the end of the day.”

Still, the veteran coach refused to dwell on the disappointment. 

With the Betway Premiership heading into the AFCON break soon, City’s focus now turns to their final assignment before the pause — a Wednesday clash against Orbit College.

Hunt believes the match carries significant weight, both psychologically and competitively, as City aim to steady their campaign and avoid entering the break on consecutive losses.

For him, the signs of progress remain clear: consistent effort, tactical maturity and a willingness to compete with the league’s best. What’s missing, and what he believes will come, is the composure and efficiency that separates competing from conquering.