MTN8: Kaizer Chiefs need to score first against Orlando Pirates on Sunday - Hunt

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt does not believe Orlando Pirates played better than them in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-finals, but that they profited from Amakhosi’s “bad errors” which they will correct in Sunday’s return fixture at FNB Stadium.

Hunt says had they scored first in last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat, “it would have been a different game,” something he is now pushing his charges to do in the second leg to overturn the huge deficit.

Believing that they did not succumb to Pirates’ brilliance but due to their own attacking and defensive frailties, Hunt can see a turnaround in fortunes if they rectify their shortcomings.

“We certainly need to try and take opportunities when we get them and obviously defensively we weren’t good in the first leg, so we have to defend better. It’s pretty basic, you have to take your chances against a team like Orlando Pirates,” Hunt told the media.

“I don’t think we were very good on the day, I don’t think they [Pirates] were very good as well because certainly if you look at the goals conceded.

“But anybody would say that when you concede goals, they were poor goals. They were certainly from some real bad errors committed but in saying that we also had some good chances and if we could have scored first it would have been a different game.

“But we can’t talk about that now. We have to look forward to Sunday and try to score the first goal of the game. If you score the first goal of the game I think the match will change complexion a little bit. That’s important, trying to score the first goal.”

In the five games, Chiefs have played so far this season, their forwards have struggled to score.

With chief striker Samir Nurkovic out injured, Hunt has placed more hope on Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro.

But none of the attackers is yet to find the back of the net and Hunt has singled out Billiat, pointing out what the Zimbabwean needs to do to finally break his goal duck.

“I think he just has to work a little bit more on the training ground. When you are not scoring you have to try to work harder for the team and then the goals will come,” said Hunt.

“The most important thing is that the team must come first. He has worked a little bit harder here and there but needs more consistency. What we can’t do at the moment is give him a little bit of a break because of our situation so we have to try and play him through this patch and try to get him to be in the right areas and do the right things.

“We have spoken on numerous occasions about trying to get him to understand where he needs to be when the ball is in certain areas, a little bit of self-instinct as well, about wanting to do it. He just has to break the ice a little bit I think.

“In the five games I have been here, he has had some unbelievable chances and he should have taken one or two by now. As long as he keeps on getting in those areas that is the most important thing. He has all my support, I am right behind him and he has to get through this for sure.”

Billiat's task on Sunday is to help Chiefs beat Pirates by a four-goal margin for them to proceed to the final of the MTN8.