Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker is using last year’s MTN8 semi-final defeat as fuel to try to advance one step further in this year’s competition.

Stellenbosch FC travel to Pretoria on Wednesday where they will take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their 2024 MTN8 semi-final encounter.

Speaking at a media event in Durban ahead of the match, Stellies head coach Steve Barker revealed his side were taking lessons from last year’s last-four defeat to Orlando Pirates in their bid to reach the final of the competition for the first time.

Read | Iqraam Rayners completes permanent transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns

“Last year this time we played Orlando Pirates in a home and away leg, and it wasn’t too different because we also couldn’t play at our home ground,” Barker said.

“If you recall, we lost that game but we were a bit unlucky after we picked up a red card in the first leg and conceded a late goal, and then went away and beat them 1-0 but lost on the away goals rule.

“We were very disappointed in not making that final, and I think you can only learn and grow from the experience of that and our previous semi-final defeats. Fortunately, we were able to make a final last year [in the club’s triumphant Carling Knockout campaign.

“I do believe those experiences, and even last year’s semi-final defeat against Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup, where we took them all the way to the wire, are lessons that have been learned and we can only grow from them.

“The more you reach semi-finals, the more you are knocking on the door to make finals, and the more those doors will open. We’ve given ourselves another opportunity and now that we’ve got here, it’s our responsibility to give ourselves the best chance to make the final.”

Read | Stellies rout Nsingizini Hotspurs to advance in CAF Confederation Cup

The team from the Cape Winelands will take on a formidable opponent in the form of last year’s runners-up, Masandawana, who eliminated Polokwane City at the quarter-final stage of this year’s tournament.

“…When you play a team like Sundowns, I don’t think us as a club has anything to lose,” Barker added. “They haven’t had the best history in this tournament so I believe the pressure is on them to advance after losing to in the final last season.

“So for us, we just have to go out there and enjoy and express ourselves. We have trust and faith in our players that they will go out and do that. All I ask every game is that they give me 100 percent, more than that, I can’t ask.”