Hunt Hopes Goals Will Come Flooding For Nurkovic
SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt hopes Samir Nurkovic’s goal-scoring touch will continue after the striker’s spectacular bicycle kick earned his team a 1-1 draw against Sekhukhune United at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
Nurkovic, who Hunt signed in November after his release from TS Galaxy, scored in the 90th minute, canceling out Relebogile Mokhuoane’s 49th-minute opener for Sekhukhune. Mokhuoane’s goal came after a brilliant free kick by Keletso Makgalwa.
“He’s missed a few already this season,” said Hunt, who always demands more from his players. “You know, he scores goals. He is okay; he just has to keep working hard, keep working on himself.”
Nurkovic’s goal reminded Hunt of a similar bicycle kick the Serbian striker scored for Kaizer Chiefs against Orlando Pirates during Hunt’s tenure there in the 2020/21 season, although Chiefs lost that game 2-1.
“The goal he scored was similar to the one in the derby (for Chiefs) against Orlando Pirates, the bicycle kick,” Hunt recalled, who expects Nurkovic to step up in the absence of the injured Bradley Grobler.
“Hopefully, he has broken the ice a little bit and gotten off to a flyer because he should have had a hat-trick or two in the first half, didn’t he? He miskicked in front of the goals.”
Nurkovic’s goal could have been the winner for SuperSport, but Ghampani Lungu missed a penalty in the 62nd minute, with Ali Badra Sangare diving to his left to make the save.
Hunt said he wouldn’t blame Lungu, as missing penalties is a common occurrence in football. “Everybody misses penalties,” Hunt said with a laugh. “Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi – all the top players miss penalties. But they don’t miss much. But when we got a penalty, I was shocked because we haven’t gotten one, I think, this year. So, we were shocked, and then I thought, ‘This can’t be happening.’ But anybody can miss a penalty, and he was brave enough to take it.”
It has been a difficult season for Hunt and SuperSport, who are currently 12th in the Betway Premiership table with 17 points from 17 matches. They have won only four games, with just one win away from home. Adding to their struggles, SuperSport have scored the fewest goals in the league this season – just seven.
