CAFCC: Magesi defeat helped Stellenbosch to sharpen for Zamalek – Barker

Photo Credit - Stellenbosch Football Club.

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker has admitted to being disappointed with their 1-0 loss to Magesi FC in the Betway Premiership but maintained the outcome will spur on the players to get a positive result against Zamalek in the Caf Confederation Cup.

After losing the league game at Seshego Stadium on Saturday, the Stellies will shift their focus to the first quarter-final clash of the inter-club competition when they host the defending champions at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday.

“We have a big match coming up and a lot more to play for in the league,” Barker told the media after the match as quoted by SowetanLive.

Asked if playing the Magesi match a few days before the CAF game was ideal, Barker said: “It’s a fixture we knew we had, and we tried the best that we could, but it was a difficult game and difficult conditions to play in.

“It was not through a lack of effort or commitment. It is one of those games where you walk away and say, ‘how did we not at least get a point from the game, which would have been massive for us?’

“Playing this game helped us sharpen the players for [Wednesday’s] game. There was a bit of two weeks not playing a game [due to the FIFA break], so this helps us to be ready.”