Stellenbosch FC (SFC) silenced the mighty Amakhosi at a noisy Danie Craven Stadium this past weekend when they saw out a 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs, to do the double over South Africa’s most decorated club.
It was The Glamour boys who got off to a lively start in front of a full house (within regulation) Danie Craven Stadium but was unable to unlock a disciplined SFC defence. Instead, it was the home team who saw themselves ahead after just 20 minutes, when a fluent counter-attack saw Judas Moseamedi put Idas Valley born Deano van Rooyen in on goal.
The right-wing back made no mistake squeezing his shot through the legs of Brandon Peterson to rustle the back of the net, 1-0 to Stellies and a moment to savour for Van Rooyen who said: “For a local Stellenbosch boy to score in front of the people who watched me grow up and come up, it’s massive. It’s an unbelievable feeling to score in front of a home crowd against a big team like Chiefs. It’s also the first time they got to see us play in Stellenbosch since the NFD.”
In an emotional tribute to the recent loss of both his parents Van Rooyen added: “The first thing I did was look up to the heavens for my parents. It was an emotional moment for me, I know they’re watching over me and I just want to make them proud.”
The hosts were made to work hard for the win as Chiefs threw everything they had at them in the second half and dying moments of the game, but it was not meant to be for the visiting Amakhosi.
The final whistle sent the spectators into a frenzy as it was written in the stars for the home side with local hero Van Rooyen snatching the only goal to separate the teams and to secure all three points.
Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane gave his plaudits to the home side when speaking to general media, he said: “Credit must go to Stellenbosch and Steve Barker. They’re a club that plays with an identity, hard to beat and resilient. Credit must also go to Barker who plays these young players. It’s going to help the country going forward. It will lift the standard of football and change it for the better.”
Bafana Bafana international SFC center-back Athenkosi Mcaba (20) who was just recently called up to the national team picked up the man of the match award adding validity to what it is the club is looking to achieve.
With the club having fielded seven u-21 players in this season’s DSTV Premiership campaign SFC Head Coach, Steve Barker said: “It is the strategy of the club to provide opportunity for young players, especially homegrown players and I want to say it publicly that I would be very disappointed if the Young Player of Season doesn’t come from Stellenbosch FC, whether it be Mcaba, Adams or Jabaar, I wouldn’t understand if it was not one of them.”
