Steve Barker has reflected on his 300th-game milestone as a coach as Stellenbosch FC beat Polokwane City FC 2-0 in a Nedbank Cup Last 16 tie at the Danie Craven Stadium on Thursday night.
The Maroon Army came into this clash, guns blazing, and they gave the visitors a hard time from the start till the end.
With Stellies putting pressure on Rise and Shine’s defence, the Cape Winelands-based outfit managed to break the deadlock in the 12th minute of the showdown through Bulelani Nikani’s own goal.
In the 37th minute, the ever-reliable Devin Titus added to the scoreline to give Stellenbosch a 2-0 lead before the interval.
The Limpopo club needed a spark of brilliance to shake things up and take charge of the game, but it was not meant to be, as Stellies remained disciplined at the back.
WHAT STEVE BARKER SAID AFTER HIS 300TH TOP-FLIGHT GAME
Barker was happy to have marked his 300th top-flight match with a win and praised his troops for their standout performance on the night as they booked a place in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
He also stated that it is nice to have Bafana Bafana coach [Hugo Broos] at the stadium to watch the boys, something that he believes gives the players a boost to perform better.
“I thought it was a really good performance by the boys throughout, especially the first half. I think we were dominant and deserved to get the goals, and we did,” Barker told SuperSport TV in a post-match interview.
“So, I’m happy to be in a draw of the Last 8. We are looking forward to seeing who we will be facing, but overall, I think it was a very good solid performance from the boys.”
“It was obviously nice to have the head coach of our national team here to watch the players. I think that’s always a boost to the players.”
Stellenbosch are the second side to qualify for the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals, joining SuperSport United, who beat Cape Town Spurs 2-1 after extra time on Wednesday night.
Stellenbosch and SuperSport will wait for Monday, 17 February, to find out who they will be facing in the quarter-finals. The draw will be conducted at the SuperSport Studios in Randburg.
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