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Stellenbosch Football Club

Barker: It’s a must-win game against Sekhukhune United

Football Dstv Premiership 2023/24 Kaizer Chiefs V Stellenbosch Soccer City

Steve Barker has described Saturday’s DStv Premiership fixture against Sekhukhune United as a must-win encounter as both sides look to bolster their chances of securing CAF qualification

Second-placed Stellenbosch FC will welcome third-placed Sekhukhune United to the Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday with just four points separating the two sides in the DStv Premiership standings.

The team from the Cape Winelands head into the match on the back of an impressive 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs, which extended the club’s unbeaten run to 19 matches across all competitions, although Sekhukhune United are seven matches without defeat in the league as well.

Recap | Titus fires Stellenbosch to victory over Kaizer Chiefs

“This is our third game in the space of a week so after the good performance against Kaizer Chiefs, the main focus has been on physical and mental regeneration,” Barker said ahead of the highly-anticipated clash.

“The team is in a good space, has a lot of confidence, and is playing with a lot of belief, so preparations for the match against Sekhukhune United have gone very well.

“We play them in back-to-back league matches this month, and they are also in a good vein of form, so it will once again be a tough encounter.

“They have always been a difficult opponent to play against, they are well-organised and structured, and they have a lot of experience within the team. There are also a lot of talented individual players who are currently playing very well.

Read | Barker: I couldn’t be more proud of our players after Chiefs victory

“We can take confidence from our recent performances though, knowing that we can approach the game with a positive attitude and look to get maximum points.

“As we get towards the back end of the season, there are still a number of matches to go but each remaining game becomes massively important.

“We’ve laid a good foundation to possibly finish in a CAF qualification position, but I’m sure Sekhukhune has the same ambitions, so it’s a must-win encounter for us on Saturday.”

Tickets for Saturday’s match between Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United, which kicks off at 17h00 at the Danie Craven Stadium, are on sale for R50.00 from Webtickets and Pick n Pay outlets. Supporters hoping to attend can purchase their tickets online here.