Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker is looking for an immediate response to the 3-0 defeat they suffered against Mamelodi Sundowns when they face Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 quarterfinal at Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday.
It will be a difficult task given that Chiefs will also be looking to redeem themselves after their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership match on Tuesday.
Barker is aware that Amakhosi will come out firing but knows that his side cannot afford successive defeats, especially since they are playing at home at a venue where they are difficult to beat.
“They are desperate to get back to winning ways after losing and with us losing, both teams wouldn’t want back-to-back defeats,” Barker explained to the media after their defeat to Sundowns at Loftus on Wednesday.
“One cannot take the fact away that they are still cup kings of South African football. They are desperate for a trophy. I expect that they will come out and give it their best, so we have to be ready for that.
“But this is our sixth defeat in 39 games. We are not a team that easily gets beaten. So hopefully we will have a strong response from the performance against Sundowns on Sunday.”
Barker emphasised that their plan on Sunday would be to deny the Amakhosi any space to play, believing that should they do that, they would be punished.
“Chiefs also have good quality. They have good players. It’s always difficult when you play teams that have that individual brilliance but they are a little brittle at this stage and are desperate to get some results,” Barker said.
“We don’t have to allow them the time and space to be able to play. If they do get some rhythm and the crowd getting behind them, they will be difficult [to beat].
“We have to have that response on Sunday and be up for the difficult game against a very good team who are having struggles, but you cannot write a team like them off.
“Obviously, we would love to have a good cup run. It is at our home. I'm anticipating that the stadium will be full. We are unbeaten in 2022 in Danie Craven and it is an opportunity to get into the semifinal of a cup.
“Sunday is a big game for us. We just need to get over this loss and bounce back and look forward to the great occasion on Sunday.”
Stellies size up Chiefs ahead of clash of the wounded
Barker’s boys will try to deny rivals space in cup clash
Image: Lefty Shivambu
Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker is looking for an immediate response to the 3-0 defeat they suffered against Mamelodi Sundowns when they face Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 quarterfinal at Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday.
It will be a difficult task given that Chiefs will also be looking to redeem themselves after their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership match on Tuesday.
Barker is aware that Amakhosi will come out firing but knows that his side cannot afford successive defeats, especially since they are playing at home at a venue where they are difficult to beat.
“They are desperate to get back to winning ways after losing and with us losing, both teams wouldn’t want back-to-back defeats,” Barker explained to the media after their defeat to Sundowns at Loftus on Wednesday.
“One cannot take the fact away that they are still cup kings of South African football. They are desperate for a trophy. I expect that they will come out and give it their best, so we have to be ready for that.
“But this is our sixth defeat in 39 games. We are not a team that easily gets beaten. So hopefully we will have a strong response from the performance against Sundowns on Sunday.”
Barker emphasised that their plan on Sunday would be to deny the Amakhosi any space to play, believing that should they do that, they would be punished.
“Chiefs also have good quality. They have good players. It’s always difficult when you play teams that have that individual brilliance but they are a little brittle at this stage and are desperate to get some results,” Barker said.
“We don’t have to allow them the time and space to be able to play. If they do get some rhythm and the crowd getting behind them, they will be difficult [to beat].
“We have to have that response on Sunday and be up for the difficult game against a very good team who are having struggles, but you cannot write a team like them off.
“Obviously, we would love to have a good cup run. It is at our home. I'm anticipating that the stadium will be full. We are unbeaten in 2022 in Danie Craven and it is an opportunity to get into the semifinal of a cup.
“Sunday is a big game for us. We just need to get over this loss and bounce back and look forward to the great occasion on Sunday.”
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