The two sides are set to renew their rivalry at Bidvest Stadium, where The Clever Boys dispatched Kaizer Chiefs with a 2-1 win in their season opener on Tuesday evening.
Ertugral bore witness to Wits' victory over Amakhosi, and says it will be a difficult task to go there and overcome Hunt’s organised unit in the cup tie on Saturday evening.
“It’s always difficult [against Wits]. Gavin is a friend of mine and I have great respect for him as a coach and a human being,” said Ertugral at a pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“We have come a long way together as friends, but it’s never easy to play against him. He has a very organised team; I watched them against Kaizer Chiefs.”
The Turkish tactician guided his own side to their first win of the 2016/17 season as they convincingly beat Golden Arrows 3-1 in their Absa Premiership opener at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Pirates' performance gave Ertugral plenty of hope for the season that lies ahead, but concedes the team still needs to find their rhythm.
“As we much as we also played the type of football that was very exciting yesterday [againstArrows] especially in the second half, I also think our first half was very good so it gives us a lot of stability and hope,” he added.
“You never know when the season starts, because you have pre-season tournaments and a lot of work in the camp, you coach with a new technical team and a newly assembled team. So there’s always a lot of uncertainty before you really get into the rhythm.
“Yesterday night made me very, very hopeful the way the team presented themselves. It’s going to be a very, I think, tough encounter for both sides and a nice game to watch for everyone in the country.”
Kick-off for Saturday’s clash has been scheduled for 20h15, with tickets available at Ticketpro outlets nationwide. The cost for adults varies between R40 and R80, while tickets for children under the age of 12 are selling at R15 each.