Durban City head coach Gavin Hunt remained calm after a painful defeat to AmaZulu in their first Durban Derby, insisting the result won’t derail their progress or Cup focus.
City looked the more assured side for long stretches at Moses Mabhida Stadium, bossing possession and showing impressive composure in their build-up play. However, a late Taariq Fielies header in the 88th minute sealed the result in AmaZulu’s favour, handing them local bragging rights in a game that was tight and tactical from start to finish.
For Hunt, who has been around long enough to understand the emotional pull of a derby, the result was a reminder of how quickly football can turn — but not one he feels will shake his players’ growing confidence in the top flight.
“I don’t think it affects anything,” Hunt said, after the match.
“That will be another game in another competition. They (Richards Bay) lost as well (Friday) night and we did (Saturday), so I don’t think it affects anything honestly.”
The newly promoted side entered the contest full of belief following a strong start to their Betway Premiership campaign and their recent Carling Knockout round of 16 win.
Despite leaving empty-handed, City’s performance offered further proof that they belong at this level, particularly with how they managed the game for long stretches against an experienced AmaZulu team.
Durban City dominated possession for large periods, controlling the rhythm of the match with calm passing and structure. Hunt, though, admitted that dominance alone is not enough if it doesn’t translate into clear chances.
“I mean when you win, it’s always a good plan, so it is what it is,” he reflected. “You can never talk about the opponents, but we need to be better.”
Hunt pointed out the tactical areas where his side fell short — particularly in wide areas where they failed to create the expected overloads that have defined their attacking play so far this season.
“In our wide areas today, we didn’t have enough 2v1s which we should’ve,” he explained. “And to concede a goal like that is pretty disappointing as well.”
While defeat in a city derby always carries extra sting, Hunt was pragmatic in his response, viewing the result as part of a larger process of growth and adaptation in the top division.
“I think it just gives us a few things that we need to be better at, and those are just football things,” he said. “You can tackle those things in three months — it takes time, but I will do that as best as I can.”
Durban City’s focus now shifts quickly to another high-stakes KwaZulu-Natal showdown, this time against Richards Bay FC in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final on Saturday. Hunt will hope the lessons from the derby — particularly their need to turn possession into penetration — will serve them well as they aim to bounce back and book a semifinal place.
