Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker has made it clear that his immediate focus lies in correcting the club’s faltering Betway Premiership form, rather than getting swept up in the excitement of their upcoming MTN8 final.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the high-stakes cup showdown scheduled for 13 September, Barker remains grounded in the reality of the league table.
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With Stellies still searching for their first Premiership win of the season, the coach is determined to recalibrate the team’s domestic campaign before shifting gears toward cup glory.
The Western Cape side booked their spot in the final by overcoming Sekhukhune United 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
After a tightly contested away leg, Stellies delivered a composed performance at home last weekend, scoring two unanswered goals to seal the tie.
Rising talent Mthetheleli Mthiyane was the standout performer, finding the net and earning the man of the match award.
Mthiyane, who arrived from second-tier outfit Milford during the off-season, has quickly made his mark at top-flight level.
His goal capped an impressive display that underlined his potential as a key figure for Stellenbosch going forward. Sekhukhune’s consolation came via Siphesihle Mkhize, but it was not enough to alter the outcome.
While fans are already buzzing about the chance to lift silverware, Barker insists that addressing their winless league start is crucial.
“They [Pirates] are a good team, they showed midweek how good they are when they dominated us for the first 20, 25 minutes, so a lot of lessons for us to learn from that [1-0 league defeat], but we will only concentrate on that [the MTN8 final] after the next week,” said Barker.
“We’ve got some league matches in between, as close as Tuesday [where they host Marumo Gallants at Danie Craven Stadium], we need to get ourselves up and running in the league.
“There’s also [Mamelodi] Sundowns [at Athlone Stadium on Saturday] before the final.”