After reaching the semi-finals in 2023 and 2024, Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker has targeted reaching the Nedbank Cup final but knows they face a tricky hurdle in Thursday’s Last 16 game against Polokwane City.
Stellenbosch booked their place in this round after coming from a goal down to beat Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit Kruger United, while Polokwane advanced after beating The Bees from the third tier.
- ALSO READ: Barker Reveals Details About Khiba & Nku Chase
- CAF Make Important CAFCL Quarters Announcement
Barker says that after getting to the semis in the last two editions of the Nedbank, they really want to go one step further.
He also confirmed that they’re only likely to have four players unavailable, two through suspension and two through injury, though only Bradley Mojela is still a long-term issue.
“Ja, I think it was never totally easy when you play a team from a lower division,” Barker said on Tuesday.
“So going down to Kruger and coming back and getting the job done, I think, puts us in a position to be in the Last 16 against Polokwane City, who I think everyone knows, is having a really good season.
“So again, we do anticipate that for us to advance, we will have to be playing at our best. We know we have to little bit find a bit of form, that maybe in the last couple of games, we haven’t been at our best.
“But fortunately, a lot of the players that weren’t available, especially against Chiefs, it seems like the majority of them will be available for Thursday evening. The only doubtful is obviously Mojela, who’s out for long term, as well as Athenkosi Mcaba, but otherwise, everybody else comes into reckoning. We do have the two suspensions, Sihle Nduli, as well as Kyle Jurgens.
“But ja, looking ready forward. It’s a cup competition. It’s always nice to play in these types of competitions, especially in South African football, we’re three games away from another final.
Join the iDiski Times WhatsApp Channel for all latest SA football news directly to your phone.
“Starting with Thursday, important for us to get past, and then we can always take it from there. So having gotten to two semi-finals in the last two seasons, we would really want to go one further and get into a final, and hopefully from there, actually go and compete and win the trophy. So ja, all good, looking forward to the game on Thursday.”
Barker warns though that Polokwane are not going to be an easy opponent, and they’ve shown that this season in the league, while he highlighted Oswin Appollis as the dangerman.
“Look, I think what Polokwane have done this year, they’ve been effective at what they do, especially in a player like Appollis,” he said.
“You know, he’s a bit of their talisman. He sort of plays in a type of position that he cheats a little bit, which makes him dangerous on transition. And obviously he’s smart with his decision-making and the quality of his passing.”
