Stellies Suffer Loss In Confed Cup In Mali
Stellenbosch suffered a 2-0 loss to Stade Malien Bamako in their opening CAF Confederation Cup Group B match at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako on Wednesday.
Haman Mandjan scored for the home side in the 15th minute for Malien, who finished as the runners-up last season in the Premier League in Mali.
Daouda Coulibaly scored the second from the penalty spot in the referee’s optional time when he was brought down by a lunging Devin Titus.
Stellies coach Steve Barker started this game with a lot of changes to his team that played a 1-1 draw in their last game against TS Galaxy earlier this month in the Betway Premiership.
Titus was leading the attack alongside Sanele Barns and Jabaar as Ashley Cupido and Andre De Jong were dropped on the bench.
In the first 10 minutes, the game was balanced as both teams were attacking each other and unfortunately, no one scored.
The home side got the first goal in the 15th minute through Mandjan as Stellies made a mistake at the back. After that goal, Stellies got so many chances but failed to equalize their chances. The first half ended 1-0 in favor of the Malian side Stade Malien.
In the second half, coach Barker made three changes before the second got underway. De Jong, Langelihle Phili, and Ashley Cupido came on Ibraheem Jabaar, Kyle Jurgens as well as Genito Palace. The Betway Premiership side got a free kick in the 55th minute as Malien fouled the Bafana Bafana midfielder Titus.
Omega Mdaka took the free kick but unfortunately, the goalkeeper N’Golo Traore saved his shot so easily. Immediately after that free kick, Malien got a clear chance but they didn’t capitalize. In the 68th minute, Jayden Adams almost scored a great goal but his header went wide.
Stellies kept on battling and Phili produced a shot following a brilliant offload by De Jong and the ball was easily saved by Traore.
However, carelessness at the back by Stellies in the added time by Titus saw referee Mehrez Melki of Tunisia point to the spot kick and Coulibaly sent goalkeeper Sage Stephens in the wrong way to make it 2-0.
