Stellenbosch FC brace themselves for tough Magesi showdown as Zamalek challenge looms

Stellenbosch will make the long trip up the N1 to Polokwane to take on a Magesi FC side that has found new belief after a tough start to life in the PSL at the Seshego Stadium on Saturday (5.45pm kick-off).

Quietly, the Maroons have gone about their business and shaken off their slow start to the season, and they currently hold pole position to secure back-to-back third-place finishes, which will also ensure they make a return to continental football next season.

The Cape side are also still taking part in the CAF Confederation Cup after making it out of the group stages in second place, seven points behind Moroccan outfit RSB Berkane (16); and they have a date with former Champions League winners Zamalek on Wednesday.

Steve Barker and his charges have come off disappointing results, first in the MTN8 competition, where they lost the final 3-1 against Orlando Pirates, and also their recent 3-1 loss against Kaizer Chiefs in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup.

Their last hope for silverware will be in the Confederation Cup, and with Mamelodi Sundowns miles ahead, having yet another dominant season at the top of the log, they are still not out of the running for second or third place.

Fresh off a 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United just over a fortnight ago, Stellies will come up against a Magesi side they have gotten the better of in the last three meetings. Most recently, an own goal from Mzwandile Buthelezi and an Ashley Cupido 37th-minute winner handed the Cape side a hard-fought 2-1 victory when the two sides met in the first leg last month at the Danie Craven Stadium.

Stellies will welcome Thabo Moloisane and Fawaaz Basadien back from international duty after they made the cut for Hugo Broos’ side, which recently played against Lesotho and Benin in the Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

The pair have been an integral part of Barker’s plans this season, and it will come as a relief that their upcoming continental match will be played on home soil, allowing them to fully focus on the Magesi challenge and any recovery they can get from their trip to the Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, after losing Clinton Laarsen, Dikwena tsa Meetse were staring down a barrel that seemed to be slowly guiding them back to the first division, but their resurgence under the guidance of Owen da Gama has seen them lift themselves to 12th place in the log with seven matches to play.

With six wins from their 23 matches, an upset over the much-fancied Stellies side could help them move closer to the 30-point mark, which has over the years been seen as enough for survival. But it will be equally important for Barker to ensure they don’t return empty-handed.

That would not only compromise their league position but could also affect their confidence heading into what will be one of the club’s biggest clashes against the Egyptian giants next week.