Stellenbosch FC painted the town maroon at a packed Danie Craven Stadium on Friday evening (27 January), after recording a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over rivals Cape Town City in the eighth edition of the Cape Derby.
The highly anticipated DStv Premiership clash between Stellies and the Citizens lived up to its billing as fans were treated to a five-goal thriller in what was arguably the competition’s match of the weekend.
The visitors took an early lead when Lorenzo Gordinho reacted quickest from a set-piece situation to tap home in the fifth minute of the encounter (0-1), before Darwin Gonzalez doubled the guests’ advantage against the run of play following a swift breakaway late in the first half (0-2).
Gonzalez’s goal, a superb dink over on-rushing Stellies ’keeper Sage Stephens, served only to galvanise the home support who had something to cheer about just two minutes later when Devin Titus latched onto a defensive error from the City defence to fire his side back into contention on the stroke of half-time (HT: 1-2).
Titus then grabbed his second of the match shortly after the restart when he netted from a squared ball from Junior Mendieta to draw the scores level (2-2), before substitute Sinethemba Mngomezulu sent the crowd into raptures by firing home a late winner after being teed up by the unselfish play of Bafana Bafana international Sibongiseni Mthethwa (3-2).
“We don’t lose derbies,” Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker emphasised after the match. “We win derbies; that’s our nature. We’re from this side of town and it’s been the message to the players that this is one special game in which we must make sure we reward our supporters with a victory. We showed it [on Friday], so I’m really proud of the performance.”
Stellenbosch, who are now unbeaten in their last seven matches against Cape Town City, will be in action again this Saturday (4 February) when they travel to Gqeberha to face Chippa United, before hosting Swallows FC at Athlone Stadium in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 on Saturday 11 February.
