Stellenbosch DStv Diski Challenge coach Evangelos Vellios believes his team’s mental fortitude and championship-winning experience will give them an edge over Kaizer Chiefs.

Vellios’s side demonstrated their resilience by staging a comeback to defeat Richards Bay 3-2 at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday.

After conceding two early first-half goals, Stellenbosch, the defending champions, rallied to score three goals and secure victory.

This win propelled them to the top of the DStv Diski Challenge standings with 57 points from 25 matches, two points ahead of Chiefs, who are scheduled to play TS Galaxy at the same venue in Durban on Sunday.

Chiefs will be tasked with reclaiming the top spot against Galaxy, and the Soweto giants have appeared formidable, having only lost two matches this season.

“I think so,” said Vellios when asked if their experience of winning the league last season gave them an advantage over Chiefs.

“They got a massive draw against us last week and we needed to win that game because it would have made every moment worth it because we know we suffered last year.  

“In the final game, we were 2-0 up against Golden Arrows in Tsakane and to find a mantle to go 2-2 and concede 3-2 and then still find two goals to win [4-3], we had to do it again in the previous time when we Antonio van Wyk scoring two goals, we know how tough it is. 

“They [Chiefs] got wonderful players, wondering coaches’ staff, they can do it, but we just got to keep it alive as long as possible so that they can feel that heat and see. 

“But they have done a great job, and whoever gets it in the end, like I said, deserves to be defending champions.” 

Vellios may not rely on Galaxy to upset Chiefs, as Amakhosi had defeated them 4-1 in the reverse fixture last year. Additionally, Chiefs have two games in hand, having played 23 matches compared to Stellenbosch’s 25, with three games remaining.

The season was originally scheduled for 30 matches, but Royal AM was excluded due to a FIFA ban that prevented them from registering new players.

Due to Chiefs’ games in hand, Vellios acknowledged that winning the title was beyond their control.

“If Kaizer Chiefs go on to get more than us, which they are primed to do right now on the log, we cannot only celebrate. But I would say no team deserves to lose the title only one will win it. 

“But whoever does it deserve it. It is also unfair I deserve to lose the title. We have to do our job, we got three games to go, we are going to try and get wins in those ones.  

“If we do that, we have achieved our target that we set up at the beginning of the season. 

“And I can only be proud of players for doing that.” 

Stellenbosch’s remaining fixtures are against AmaZulu, Marumo Gallants, and TS Galaxy.