Stellenbosch coach, Steve Barker, firmly believes that their journey to this season’s MTN8 final is within reach, as they gear up for a crucial showdown against Orlando Pirates in the last-four clash this Sunday.
Stellenbosch is set to face the Buccaneers at Orlando Stadium in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-finals, determined to overturn a 2-1 deficit from their initial encounter in Stellenbosch earlier this month.
While Stellie enters this match facing challenges such recent form and the absence of midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa, coupled with the unavailability of Ismaël Touré due to a red card in last week’s league defeat against Moroka Swallows, Barker remains undeterred.
He is resolute in his team’s anticipation of Sunday’s clash against the reigning champions and is committed to giving their more-favored opponents a formidable challenge on the day.
“What do they say? A wounded animal is most dangerous at times,” Barker told the media.
“It’s over now and there’s nothing we can do, so it’s important that we remain positive and look forward to a fantastic opportunity. It’s not every year that you are in a semi-final of a major competition, so we are positive and looking forward to that.
“Now they will be saying, ‘They haven’t got Ox and Touré is on a red card and not available, and there is this injury and that injury.’
“Yeah, we know that it’s not going to be an easy task but sometimes when you have your back against the wall, you are dangerous, and we have absolutely nothing to lose.
“We know that we have to score two goals… We want to score two goals to keep ourselves in the tie, and the game doesn’t even change if they score first, because we still need to score twice. If it ends 2-1 and goes to extra-time [a penalty shoot-out] we would take it.