Stellenbosch FC aim to steady the ship against Durban City

The winds of uncertainty have blown through Stellenbosch FC, leaving the Cape Winelands outfit balancing on the edge of difficulty. Their Betway Premiership clash with Durban City at the Danie Craven Stadium on Wednesday night (7:30 pm kick-off) offers a chance to steady the ship, though only a determined performance will see them do so.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides, and while Stellies enter this encounter under far more pressure than their KwaZulu-Natal opponents, there is some encouragement in the fact that City also comes into this match on the back of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns—meaning both teams arrive still nursing the sting of recent setbacks.

Currently sitting 13th on the log, the Maroons began the season with ambitions of once again securing a place in the top three. While that remains mathematically possible, much needs to change for that to happen, particularly with their commitments in other domestic competitions and the CAF Confederation Cup.

Heading into their next fixture, coach Steve Barker has faced challenges in establishing a settled starting eleven, with injuries, international call-ups, and dips in form making it difficult to nail down the perfect lineup. 

Azerbaijani defender Turan Manafov, who featured in their 2-1 loss against AmaZulu after a period without competitive matches, will need time to adjust, but Barker hopes he can improve and become a valuable option for the team.

“Turan will eventually adapt — he hasn’t played matches for three months. He got a bit of an introduction on Wednesday, and obviously (Omega) Mdaka has been doing well for us but he has been playing too many matches.

“We felt that we should give Turan a chance and see what he has to offer in a match situation. You could see he was technically good. Once we start playing better and start using our fullbacks like we did in the past, getting them into good positions higher up, he has the ability to find people with passes and deliver quality into the box. He will get better, and he needs to.”

Adding to Barker’s challenges, he will be without Siviwe Nkwali and Langelihle Phili, who have joined the South African under-20 national team for the FIFA World Cup in Chile. The Stellies coach singled out Phili’s absence as significant but framed it as an opportunity for others to step up.

“It’s always tough losing a player that is in form and starting to show what he can do. But I have always said that national interest is well supported by us, and he deserves to be going to the World Cup — him and Siviwe.

“We can only wish them well. Other players will be given an opportunity, so it’s up to them to step up and close the void he will be leaving. Hopefully, he comes back from having played at the World Cup even better than he is now.”

Stellies’ only win of the season came in a 1-0 victory over Marumo Gallants, and with little room for any more setbacks, their clash against City is a must-win affair.