After a slow start to the newly formed Betway Premiership, Stellenbosch FC defeated their neighbours, Cape Town City, 3-0 on Wednesday night in a local derby at the Athlone Stadium.
Stellies, who were extremely dangerous in the latter stages of the previous season, were clinical in the MTN8 competition as well, eliminating the Mamelodi Sundowns, who were feared, from the competition after dominating them over two legs in the semifinals.
They secured a 2-0 aggregate victory over Sundowns at home and away, securing a spot in the final against the unbeatable Orlando Pirates.
Stellies and Pirates will face off in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on October 5.
Praise for players
Steve Barker, the coach of Stellenbosch, gave his team high marks following their crushing of City.
The victory sends a clear message to the Pirates that the Stellies are back on their feet and that they should not be taken lightly.
At the stroke of halftime, Andre de Jong’s piledriver proved to be too strong for Darren Keet in the City goals.
Fawaaz Basadien, a Bafana Bafana player, raised the score to 2-0 after the break with a goal that could win a Goal of the Season award.
From his own half, he unleashed a delicious chip that found Keet in no man’s land and backpedalling as the ball found its way into the net.
To the delight of the players and entire technical team, Sanele Barns made it three 3-0.
Convincing performance
“Obviously, a 3-0 result is really good, convincing sort of performance from us,” Barker told SuperSport TV after the match.
“I think getting the goal just before halftime obviously changed the game. I think it deflated them a bit and gave us a bit of a lift going into the change room.
“When Fawaz scored the goal from the halfway line, that just put us firmly in the front seat. I thought, thereafter, we dominated the game.”
He continued: “It looked real quality, and it was good to see the team finish with almost everybody below the age of 24 on the field.
“There was good energy, good quality, and good technicians on the field of play. I thought we saw out the game really well and didn’t give them too many opportunities in the last 15-20 minutes.
“We put in a mature performance, and to see out the game and keep a clean sheet, I think is a credit to the team.
“It shows that they are growing in their mentality.”
