Barker: Berkane Thrashing A Learning Curve For Stellies
Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker says the 5-0 drubbing by RS Berkane in their last group stage match in the CAF Confederations Cup on Sunday, is a learning curve for his inexperienced side to up the ante for better results.
Despite losing the first two matches against teams boasting continental experience in Stade Malien of Mali and Berkane respectively, Stellies made it through to the quarterfinals of the Confederations Cup in their maiden participation in a CAF inter-club competition.
The Cape Winelands outfit secured passage with a game to spare, and they will be unseeded in the quarterfinals draw – which means they will play the second leg away from home.
Overall, they collected nine points after six [W3 D0 L3] matches played. While the trashing didn’t affect their progression to the next round, Barker admits that it’s hard to come to terms with the heavy defeat but is confident they can put the crushing disappointment behind them.
“It’s a result that’s not easy to accept, a 5-0 loss, but I told the team and the players that these types of games are learning curves. As you all know it’s our first time playing in the Confed, it’s our first time playing in North Africa,” said the Stellenbosch mentor.
“Playing against a quality team [like RS Berkane] was always going to be difficult for us, but one has to learn from these situations, one has to grow from these situations, one has to improve from these situations.”
The 57-year-old tactician went on to highlight that he fielded a fairly rotated starting XI in a bid to give fringe players some game time as they aim to have a bigger squad to select from to be able to deal with the fixture congestion.
“We have a very important game in the league on Thursday and a cup competition back home. So, you know, we played a lot of our players that haven’t been playing a lot, we had six under-23 on the field,” Barker added.
“It was an opportunity for them to play and I’m sure they’ve learned a lot from it, but we can see the quality of Berkane especially when we gave the ball away in our own defensive third, they are very clinical.”
However, a defiant Barker fired a warning to the runaway Botola Pro League log leaders, stating that if the two sides meet again, the 2021/22 Confederations Cup winners won’t have it easy.
This after Stellies lost both legs in the group stage against Moine Chaabani’s men.
“They have good quality all around the pitch and that’s why they topped the log easily and top of the domestic league. A really good team but hopefully we can continue in the tournament and if we had to play here [in Berkane] again in May, it won’t be 5-0 – it will be a lot tighter than that,” he asserted.
After losing to Kaizer Chiefs in their last league outing, Stellenbosch will be determined to get back to winning ways in the Betway Premiership when they visit AmaZulu FC at King Zwelithini Stadium on Thursday.
