Barker – We’ve Traditionally Given Downs A Tough Time

Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has insisted his side have a decent record against Mamelodi Sundowns and are looking forward to facing the newly crowned league champions.

Stellies are set to face Downs in what will be Masandawana’s final home game of the campaign, and while Downs secured the league title, Stellies themselves still want to secure their top-8 finish..

Barker’s side has been in good form of late, winning two games, drawing two, and losing just one of their last five matches, with Barker insisting he’s not concerned about facing the top two sides in their final games of the season.

“No I’m not [concerned]. I think every game in this league is equally difficult whether you playing a team that is fighting for their lives at the bottom, whether you playing with one or two,” he told the club’s media department.

“That doesn’t scare me now, we beat Cape Town City earlier this season – obviously a good performance against them and we look forward to last day of the season.

“We’ve also traditionally given Mamelodi Sundowns some tough matches and I would rather play the top two teams right now than any of the bottom teams.

“It’s also obviously a benchmark of us as a club to see how far we’ve come as a club, and how far we’ve grown and to always play against best players in the league is what you wanna be doing.”

Barker also explained that he expects Downs to come out and wanting to win the match, despite having already wrapped up the league title.

“They are a club that built up a DNA of every match is important to them, they are a club that want to keep setting records, I’m sure they would want to put a big performance to allow Peter Shalulile to be able to get more goals to try and reach that 25 mark,” he added.

“As a team they want to keep the momentum, they’ve got a big Nedbank Cup final coming up. So I do anticipate that they do want to go to that in good form.

“One must not forget that they come from a draw against Kaizer Chiefs. They are a team that doesn’t often win a game within two, so they will definitely be a formidable opponent. They are a type of team with the depth that they have, that even if they do rest some players, the players that they do bring in are also real quality.”

Stellenbosch currently sit in fifth place with 41 points and could secure their top-8 finish on Saturday.

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