Stellenbosch showed their pedigree by defeating Sundowns in MTN8 semi

Stellenbosch FC beat Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 (2-0 on aggregate) at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday to book their place in the 2024 MTN8 final.

The Cape side built on a slender lead from the energy-sapping first leg to claim the semi-final fixture and confirm their second appearance in a major cup decider.

The Cape Winelands-based club will meet Orlando Pirates in the final after the Sea Robbers eliminated Cape Town City.

The home side’s technical team understood the need for a defensively assured performance in Durban, introducing experienced centre-back Ismail Toure in the place of 20-year-old Kyle Jurgens.

Sundowns were expected to start the match on the front foot having come into the game with a deficit but it was Stellies who almost took the lead inside five minutes through new man Bradley Mojela. Bafana Bafana international Grant Kekana produced a million-rand tackle in the fifth minute as he slid in to snatch the ball off Mojela’s feet after a well-weighted low cross from Devin Titus on the flanks.

Sundowns assumed control of the game in the next 10 minutes as they slowed the tempo, trying to deny Stellies spaces to run into. After a lull in the game, Andre de Jong missed a golden opportunity to double his side’s lead.

The New Zealand-born forward found himself free in the middle of the goal as Titus picked him out with another cross but his attempted header didn’t trouble Jody February in the Sundowns goal.

Just as expected, it was an action-packed opening half as both teams threatened each other’s goal but Stellies would have felt that they should have taken at least one of their chances.

As fate would have it, Barker’s men blew the roof off the Moses Mabhida Stadium early in the second stanza through their danger man Mojela.

The ex-TS Galaxy man showed great predatory instincts to first set up Titus on a counter-attack before popping up on the far post to tap home a low cross from De Jong.

The faces on the Sundowns bench reflected the realisation of their pending exit from the competition. The club has not done too well in in the past, but for Barker and Stellies, more energy and legs was required on the pitch as they sought to retain their lead.

The hosts introduced the hard-working duo Genino Palace and Sanele Barns for De Jong and Titus.

Sundowns, as expected, threw numbers forwards in search of a response of some kind, and their best opportunity fell to second-half substitute Kobamelo Kodisang who glanced a Lucas Ribeiro cross just wide of Sage Stephens’ goal.

However, try as they might, the Brazilians could not prevent their elimination from the race for the first piece of silverware available this season.