Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker expressed mixed feelings after watching former player Iqraam Rayners score the winning goal for Mamelodi Sundowns against his side.

Rayners rounded Stellies goalkeeper Sage Stephens in the league match, before blasting into the roof of the net and wheeled away to celebrate.  

However, the Bafana Bafana international, who is proving to be one of the best finishers at the moment, refrained from celebrating in respect to a club that has done so much in his career.  

Sundowns signed Rayners from Stellies during the off-season when they triggered his release clause in his contract and since he arrived at Sundowns this season, he has been their best by far.  

In the past three matches in all competitions, Rayners has been the one who has been scoring the goals for Sundowns.  

“When one of your players that you had and reignited his career to get into the Bafana Bafana squad, to get to his mood and desire to be at the club like Sundowns, scores a quality goal like he did, it does live a bitter of a taste,” admitted Barker. 

“(Having said that), amongst all adversity and that, I have just got to be proud of the effort of the players in the second half. I said to them after the game that, if you play like that, you are going to win far more matches than what you will lose.”  

Stellenbosch will have a brief break over the festive season before facing SuperSport United on December 28th. Barker emphasized the importance of this final match of the year, as it could significantly impact their league position.

“So, it wasn’t to be. But the next couple of days it is a break for the players and we are off until Monday and come back and start preparing over the Christmas period for one more game for the 2024 calendar against SuperSport,” said Barker  

“So, it is important for us to bounce back and get points from that game just to keep us in touch and in a position that we want to be on the log table.”  

2024 was a success for Barker’s side as not only did they finish third in the Betway Premiership table having come so close to finishing second to quality for the CAF Champions League, but they reached the MTN8 final where they lost to Orlando Pirates. They are also in the Confed Cup group stages, in what was their maiden participation in the CAF club competition.  

Despite the loss to Sundowns, they are lying fourth in the table with 15 points, leveled with SuperSport with two games in hand, after nine matches played.