Hunt deploys striker Gabuza in defence but experiment backfires as Dondol knockout SuperSport

DStv Premiership giants SuperSport United were stunned and sent crashing out of the Nedbank Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Gauteng ABC Motsepe league side Dondol Stars.

Matsatsantsa head coach Gavin Hunt did the unthinkable and surprised all of the South African football fraternity when he deployed striker Thamsanqa Gabuza in the heart of the defence. At the same time, striker Marmour Niang, meanwhile, made his debut.

After taking the lead through Siyabonga Nhlapo, who headed home Jamie Webber's cross in the 18th minute, it looked like it would be smooth sailing for Hunt’s Tshwane side.

However, Stars began to see much more of the ball in the early minutes of the second stanza and found the back of the net and equalised from Relebogile Molefe as Matsatsantsa goalkeeper Ricardo Guss fumbled a cross into the area into the path of the visitors' striker.

The so-called minnows completed the turnaround with ten minutes to go when Surprise Monama's low snapshot deflected and left Goss completely wrong-footed as Hunt's men suffered a humbling defeat.

The day's other match was one-way traffic from the start, with Sekhukhune United romping to a 6-0 victory over amateur outfit Liver Boys.

Roderick Kabwe, Daniel Cardoso, Chibuike Ohizu, Vusumzi Mncube (2) and Tashreeq Morris did the damage for Babina Noko, who cruised into the Round of 16.