Steve Barker convinced struggling Stellenbosch FC 'can still have a really special season' after seven-goal thriller against Golden Arrows

Steve Barker’s men set the tone early on when Langelihle Phili opened the scoring in the 14th minute, continuing his fine run of form and proving once again to be Stellenbosch’s reliable source of goals. But the Durban side refused to sit back, and their persistence paid off when Siyanda Ndlovu levelled matters shortly before the half-time break.

The second half unfolded in dramatic fashion as André de Jong netted a brilliant brace to restore Stellenbosch’s advantage. Yet each time Stellies looked to pull away, Abafana Bes’thende clawed their way back, matching goal for goal and keeping the contest finely poised throughout.

The Maroons’ inspired substitutions proved decisive, with Muzomuhle Khanyi stepping up to net the winner and open his account for the season. The forward’s strike not only sealed all three points for Stellies but also marked a welcome return to form for a player who enjoyed a stellar 2024/25 in the First National Division — scoring 18 goals and earning the Golden Boot accolade.

Head coach Steve Barker shared his detailed thoughts on the match with the club’s media team, reflecting on his side’s overall performance.

“Seven-goal thriller, I think for the fans is nice, but for a coach it’s not easy,” Both teams played to win tonight, but we needed the win, and there’s a difference between needing a win and wanting one,” Barker said as per Stellenbosch FC press release.  

“We had to find a way to get results, and after struggling to score goals of late, scoring four was really good for us as a team. We could have maybe done better for one or two of the goals we conceded, but they also scored some really quality goals. But teams had their moments of control, but I think we started the game really well. In the first 20-25 minutes, we controlled the tempo and the ball, and were on the front foot in terms of creating chances.  

“It was a bit disappointing then to concede as late as we did because I thought we were the better team in the first half, and the message at half-time was to tell the players not to let that goal drop their shoulders If we could replicate that in the second half, we would win the game, and then the second half became a match of transition, with both teams pushing forward to get a goal.  

“It became an open game from there, with errors and defensive shape being lost, which led to the amount of goals that were scored. In the end, I’m just really relieved with the result,” He continued.

The 57-year-old coach remained optimistic, insisting that the team is close to ironing out the weaknesses that have delayed their progress toward achieving their goals.

“Before the match, I said that I felt there is an upward curve with the team after we’d gone a couple of games unbeaten in the Cup, CAF, and in the league, and that we needed to find a way to score more to continue that curve. Hopefully, we can now build on this foundation of scoring goals while making sure we are a bit tighter at the back.”

“But, the motivation is that we can still have a really special season. We’ve made a cup final already, we’re in the quarter-final of Carling, and if we can make the CAF group stages… The motivation is never to not be hungry to succeed. We've got to have that desire to keep winning things and competing at the highest level. I’ve just had to try to manage the squad in a way that freshens it up a bit, and there were some fresh legs out there today.

“Sunday’s [second leg against 15 de Agosto] is perhaps another opportunity to give other players minutes, and hopefully by doing that, we can manage the games that are coming thick and fast,” he added.  

Stellies will now return to the drawing board to tighten up at the back, even as they continue to shine in front of goal. With their attacking rhythm in full flow, the Western Cape outfit will be aiming for a strong CAF Confederation and Carling Black Label Cup run, — with hopes of adding silverware to their growing reputation.