Reserve team coach Evangelos Vellios has backed his side to pull out all the stops to secure the 2023/24 DStv Diski Challenge title this weekend.

Stellenbosch FC currently top the DStv Diski Challenge standings with a league-record 66 points heading into Saturday’s season-finale against Golden Arrows, three points ahead of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns on the log.

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After a rocky start to the campaign, in which pre-season aspirations of being crowned champions may have begun to falter, Vellios’ team rose from the ashes and set a new points record since the competition’s format changed to a 30-match season.

On Saturday, they will have the opportunity to turn that form into silverware when they take on Golden Arrows in the final clash of the season with anything but defeat ensuring that they are crowned as champions once again.

“We definitely never doubted the talent in the group, but to be honest we thought it would take another season to put ourselves in this position to fight for the title,” Vellios said ahead of the match.

“That was especially the case after we lost three matches in our first four games, but then the boys competed in the Engen tournament and won that. We got the group together and then we just started to build momentum.

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“We won game after game and went on to have a great season, and before we knew it we were in the final quarter ready to fight for it. The boys have been incredible in that game by game we’ve got the points.

“We never doubted the ability or talent of the players but for sure it was not expected that we would be sitting on 66 points with one game to go. To have 66 points is an amazing achievement.”

All eyes and focus will be on this weekend’s clash at Tsakane Stadium where Stellies have one more hurdle to overcome in their pursuit of a second DStv Diski Challenge title, having previously been crowned champions in the 2021/22 season.

“What an incredible moment it is for the whole club, the staff, and the players,” Vellios concludes. “We have put ourselves in this position with a game to go and

“We’re super excited, and a little bit nervous because there is so much to gain and so much to lose. We go in with a lot of expectations and excitement, but it is just to get to the day with a good mentality and application.

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“We’ll put in the best performance we can and I believe in the end we can achieve our dream, which is to be champions.”

The match between Stellenbosch FC’s Reserves and Golden Arrows’ Reserves is scheduled to kick off at 11h30 at Tsakane Stadium and will be televised live on SuperSport PSL 202.