CAFCC: Barker warns Zamalek – ‘Underrate Stellenbosch at your own peril’

Photo Credit - Stellenbosch FC Media.

After holding defending champions Zamalek of Egypt, Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker is not giving up in their quest to win the return leg and qualify for the semi-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup this season.

Competing in the knockout stages of the inter-club competition for the first time, debutants Stellenbosch showed a good account of themselves by holding the North African giants to a 0-0 draw in Cape Town.

During the fixture, Barker’s side enjoyed the bulk of possession in a tie that otherwise offered little by way of clear-cut-chances, but the result left the team from the Cape Winelands in with a shout of reaching the last-four stage of the competition.

“After looking at our performance in the first leg, they shouldn’t underestimate us. I have always said all along that teams can underestimate us at their own peril,” said Barker as quoted by FARPost.

“It just shows that our league is a competitive league locally. It is important for us not to become complacent. There are many areas we can improve on from the previous game because we know that if we want to get past them in the second leg, we have to play to our full potential and take the chances we get.

We are going there to show the same level of performance that we showed at home. We know it is going to be difficult playing away from home. Especially when playing in an intimidating venue and crowd. But those are things we, as coaches, are always looking forward to playing in front of those conditions.”

The second leg of the quarter-final clash between Stellenbosch and Zamalek is set to take place in Cairo on Wednesday, 9 April 2025.