Steve Barker: No reason Stellenbosch FC can’t beat Mamelodi Sundowns on home turf

steve barker: no reason stellenbosch fc can’t beat mamelodi sundowns on home turf

Steve Barker: No reason Stellenbosch FC can’t beat Mamelodi Sundowns on home turf

Stellenbosch FC’s highly-anticipated match against reigning Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns tomorrow (3pm kick-off) has been moved to the austere Athlone Stadium, which has fond memories for the Danie Craven Stadium-based side.

The PSL, the guardians of the Premiership, have learnt a lesson from last month’s Nedbank Cup semi-final between Stellenbosch and Sundowns at the Winelands venue.

After the final whistle, there was a pitch invasion and broken fences around the Danie Craven Stadium.

The switch of venue is a good omen for Stellies. It was at the Athlone Stadium that Sundowns last lost a match against domestic opposition, when Stellenbosch inflicted a 2-1 defeat on the Tshwane giants in last year’s Nedbank Cup quarter-final.

This time, however, the teams will have very different agendas for the match, which will be the headline encounter for the weekend’s penultimate round of the Premiership season, with all eight fixtures kicking off simultaneously at 3pm across the country tomorrow.

Sundowns, however, are the only one of 16 teams that still have two Premiership matches to play this season, and they will be back in action on Tuesday evening against TS Galaxy.

Hosts Stellenbosch will be focused on the race for second place, and currently, they occupy second place with a one-point lead over Orlando Pirates.

steve barker: no reason stellenbosch fc can’t beat mamelodi sundowns on home turf

Champions Sundowns are on a mission to go through the entire league season unbeaten. They need just one more win to eclipse the PSL points record (71) for a 30-game season.

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker noticed a buzz at this week’s training sessions after four players – Jayden Adams, Thabo Moloisane, Iqraam Rayners and Devin Titus – were all named in the preliminary Bafana Bafana squad for next month’s 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

The youthful Stellies have had a rough ride of late as fatigue set into their ranks, and their 20-match unbeaten run in the league was ended by Swallows last week. They also drew 0-0 at home to AmaZulu.

Barker and his players have set their hearts on playing in one of the two CAF inter-club competitions for the first time in their short history next season.

Hence they are desperate to beat champions Sundowns, who have played 27 league matches league this season, without suffering defeat.

“The loss against Swallows was a blow, but we’ve got to keep at it – and there’s no reason we can’t beat Sundowns on home turf,” said Barker.

“It is a tough task to beat Sundowns. They’re a good team, but I thought we did enough in the semi-final to get a sense for this match.

“The key is to get back the energy and the spark and push for two more matches.

“Pirates still have got to do the job, so let’s see how it pans out.”

Stellenbosch lost 2-0, but Barker felt his side matched the Brazilians blow for blow in the Nedbank Cup semi-final at Danie Craven Stadium.

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena said Masandawana are looking to unleash their latest talent, the 27-year-old midfielder Lesiba Nku, who scored a goal in the team’s 2-0 victory over Royal AM in their midweek clash.

Said Mokwena: “Lesiba does not need confidence; Lesiba needs time. Believe you me, the best of Lesiba is yet to come, and I can say the same about so many of the new players like (Matias) Esquivel and Lucas Ribeiro.”

OTHER NEWS

11 minutes ago

12th Fail Star Medha Shankr Answers Your Burning Questions | IMDb Breakout Star

11 minutes ago

Taylor Swift may have captured the charts, but Charli XCX captured the zeitgeist

11 minutes ago

House Of The Dragon Season 2: Dragonseeds Are Way More Important Than You Think

11 minutes ago

Retail sales rise a meager 0.1% in May from April as still high inflation curbs spending

11 minutes ago

US retail sales rise 0.1% in May from April as inflation and high interest rates curb spending

11 minutes ago

Ralph Lauren goes with basic blue jeans for Team USA's opening Olympic ceremony uniforms

11 minutes ago

Quavo hosts summit against gun violence featuring VP Kamala Harris on late rapper Takeoff's birthday

11 minutes ago

Fisker files for bankruptcy protection, the second electric vehicle maker to do so in the past year

11 minutes ago

EURO 2024 — June 18 matchday thread: Türkiye vs. Georgia; Portugal vs. Czechia

11 minutes ago

YouTube’s algorithm more likely to recommend users right-wing and religious content, research finds

14 minutes ago

Warren Buffett buys Occidental shares for 9 straight days, pushes his stake to nearly 29%

14 minutes ago

England's Lionesses celebrate Chloe Kelly's hen party with a raucous Ibiza getaway - while the men gear up for their second Euros group match

21 minutes ago

Video: Charlotte Tilbury's glowy makeup tutorial on Lorraine is slammed by viewers who claim the model looks 'too shiny' and 'greasy'

21 minutes ago

British businessman, 53, shoots his TV star wife, 40, dead before taking his own life in murder-suicide after 'row over her text messages' at their home in Turkey

21 minutes ago

WA’s Alex Crisp tastes defeat after making Masterchef Australia’s top nine

21 minutes ago

Newcastle considering Michael Olise alternative to replace 60k-p/w forward

21 minutes ago

Sarah Ferguson addresses 'remarrying' Prince Andrew as she shares their happiness

21 minutes ago

Unlikely but 'not zero' chance the RBA will raise rates

21 minutes ago

Australia considers mandating recycled plastic packaging as beaches drown in rubbish

21 minutes ago

Royal Mail's 'nodding dog' board has put our postal service at risk, says ALEX BRUMMER

21 minutes ago

AEW TBS Champ Mercedes Mone Shines As Boston Celtics Win NBA Playoffs Finals

21 minutes ago

Terrified residents flee as mountainside collapses in southern China

21 minutes ago

MLB legend Willie Mays unable to attend Rickwood Field game between Giants, Cardinals

21 minutes ago

Revisiting the time a Steelers legend took his talents to Ohio

21 minutes ago

7 former pros we can’t believe are managing in non-league in 2024

21 minutes ago

Football star Mario Balotelli spars at Muay Thai boxing camp

21 minutes ago

The trips Justice Clarence Thomas took with Harlan Crow — that we know of

21 minutes ago

Orlando Pirates flop once mentioned alongside Aguero, Benzema

21 minutes ago

Australia is almost ‘grinding to a halt’ with inflation

21 minutes ago

'Don't understand': Billy's blunt reply to Madge jab

25 minutes ago

Report: Jeff Van Gundy returning to coaching as LA Clippers assistant

26 minutes ago

U.S. crude oil holds above $80 per barrel after starting week with strong gains

27 minutes ago

Last sighting of three children who went missing after day out at Thorpe Park: CCTV shows girl, 14, and seven and nine-year-old in florist 'asking for directions to train station' as police fear they have 'travelled to London'

27 minutes ago

Opinions ‘turning hard’ against Albanese government on cost of living

27 minutes ago

'All good': Leniu praises Latrell as feud buried for Blues

27 minutes ago

‘I had so many interests from other teams’ – Ex-Kaizer Chiefs defender a wanted man in Europe

27 minutes ago

William Saliba rates N'Golo Kante performance as France beat Austria at Euro 2024

27 minutes ago

Barons Court station to be painted District line colours in major facelift

27 minutes ago

The Tories are paving the way for Boris Johnson's return

27 minutes ago

2024 Tesla Model 3 AWD Just Got Cheaper