Stellenbosch FC took a significant step towards the MTN8 final after securing a 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune United in the first leg of their semi-final at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday night.
The hosts found the back of the net twice in the first half. Defender Kazie Enyinnaya opened the scoring with a header from a Lesiba Nku corner. Devin Titus doubled the lead shortly after, finishing off a brilliant outside curl assist from Nku. Nku came close to adding a third after the break, but his shot hit the crossbar.
Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker was full of praise for his team’s performance:
“We stuck to our game plan and showed real quality in key moments. Lesiba’s deliveries were outstanding, and overall it was a top performance from every player.”
Sekhukhune head coach Eric Tinkler admitted his side struggled to cope with Stellies’ high intensity:
“We didn’t start well and allowed them too much space in dangerous areas. However, it’s not over. We’ll regroup and look to turn things around at home.”
Stellenbosch’s solid defense and valuable clean sheet give them the upper hand heading into the second leg at Peter Mokaba Stadium next weekend. Sekhukhune will need to put in a strong performance at home if they are to keep their final hopes alive.