Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker is eager to get their debut CAF inter-club journey off to a good start when they play “away” to eSwatini side Nsingizini Hotspurs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
The first preliminary round first leg fixtures, as the chase for continental glory commences, will be a first for the Cape Winelands side who finished in third place on the back of clinching the Carling Knockout Cup last term.
This will also be the club’s first participation in Africa without long-term servants Iqraam Rayners and Deano Van Rooyen, who signed for Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, respectively.
Barker described how everyone at the club is excited as it’s a dream they have long looked forward to.
“No, extremely excited not only personally, but the whole football club,” Barker told Stellies media.
“The players, everybody invloved, you know you want to be competing on the continent. You want to be exposing yourself to different teams.
“You want to be competing at that level, so we’ve worked hard to get ourselves in this position.
“We’ve dreamt of one day playing on the continent so that day has arrived. So, yeah massive excitement.
“There’s a lot of buzz around the club. Looking forward to that first game ever in Africa.”
On playing at ‘home’ despite it being an away match, Barker added that they would equally have to be on their A-game as Hotspurs will be no pushovers.
“It’s nice that, obviously, we have played at Moses [Mabhida Stadium],” he added.
“We know Durban well, we know the stadium well so that does in a sense help but you know opposition they’ve also worked hard. They would have the same sentiments as we have. They’ve put in a whole season to get into this position.
“They seem to be a team that’s really ambitious, wanting to do well. They’ve camped in South Africa, played at Moses so they show that they are serious if you look at their log position the way they’ve played last season. Not an easy team to beat, conceded some of the fewest goals in the league.
“We’ve got a bit of footage of the friendlies that they played but it’s not easy when you don’t see them play regularly.
“It’s going to be more about us executing our game plan, do what we do well and using the first part of the match to quickly find out what they’re about.
“It’s not going to be easy. Everybody wants to advance in those continental competitions, so we can’t be complacent.
“We’ve got to make sure that we leave no stone unturned in our preparations for Saturday,” Barker added.
The winner of this two-legged round will take on DRC side AS Vita Club.
