Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has reflected on his side’s MTN8 quarter-final win over SuperSport United, the prospect of meeting Orlando Pirates in the semi-final, and the upcoming DStv Premiership encounter against Royal AM.

Stellenbosch advanced to the semi-final of the MTN8 for the first time in the club’s history last weekend after recording a 1-0 win over SuperSport United, courtesy of a 100th-minute goal from New Zealand international, Andre De Jong.

The result saw the Maroons reach a second semi-final in a matter of months, having progressed to the same stage of the Nedbank Cup last season, and head coach Steve Barker believes his side are inching closer and closer to adding silverware to the trophy cabinet.

“It’s very rewarding because I think we’ve now established ourselves as a team to be reckoned with,” Barker said. “The aim is to be challenging for league titles and trophies and I feel like we are getting closer and that there has been that progression.

“Now we just need to find that belief, that determination and commitment to get into a final, and then once we’re there, to not only see that as an achievement but to go on and win that final.

“But first, we’ve got to beat Orlando Pirates, and that will be our first objective in the cup.”

The upcoming clash against the Buccaneers will be the second meeting between the two sides this season, with Stellenbosch having recorded a 1-0 win over the Buccaneers in their opening match of the DStv Premiership campaign earlier this month.

Barker believes that the previous result will give his side added confidence but stressed that he and his side will be taking nothing for granted when they battle the reigning champions for a spot in this season’s MTN8 final.

“It has to give us confidence,” he adds. “Obviously, this will be a different sort of game and will be played home and away, so the nuances are a bit different, but we have to take confidence from beating them in the league in the first game of the season.

“It’s our second semi-final in the space of a few months and the disappointment of not reaching the Nedbank Cup final is still there, but we now have another chance to address that.

“We’re under no illusions though, Pirates are a strong team and the reigning champions of the MTN8, and they won two trophies last season.

“They will be a formidable opponent but we have to go in  with the belief and courage that we can overcome that challenge.”

The highly-anticipated cup encounter has been put on the back-burner for the time being, however, as Stellenbosch are set to take on Royal AM in league action on Friday at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

“Royal AM have come off a tough start and they’re at their new home at the Harry Gwala Stadium, so it will be a different environment to play them in, and they will be hoping to get a positive result against us,” Barker predicted ahead of the match.

“We believe that if we want to do well in the league and finish at the right end of the table, then it’s these types of games in which we have to show consistency and put in a performance like we did against Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United.

“We need to make sure we play to our strengths, find that consistency, and show the commitment and determination needed to put ourselves in a position to get a positive result against Royal AM on Friday evening.”