Steve Barker may have played down the stranglehold he holds over managerial rival Eric Tinkler in the build-up to this MTN8 semifinal first-leg, but Barker was once again the one smiling after Stellenbosch FC comfortably beat Sekhukhune United 2-0 at the Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday evening.
The victory was Barker’s eighth success over a Tinkler-coached side after previously dominating the iKapa derby when the former Bafana Bafana midfielder was at the helm of now-relegated Cape Town City.
But not even a change of teams and cities have been able to improve Tinkler’s fortunes.
It’s hard though to imagine how this first-leg could have gone better for Barker and his Stellies troops.
The only disappointment on the night for the home side was Ashley Cupido limping off after just seven minutes due to injury again, but this was compensated for with substitute Lesiba Nku delivering an inspired performance.
Devin Titus and Godswill Enyinnaya were the goalscorers for Stellenbosch FC in their 2-0 semifinal victory over Sekhukhune United FC on Saturday. Picture: BackpagePix
Nku was a livewire from the moment he entered the fray, playing a prominent role in both Stellenbosch’s goals on the night.
The cultured left-footer swung in the corner which found Nigerian right-back Godswill Enyinnaya rising high above the Sekhukhune United defence that opened up the scoring for the home team.
Enyinnaya showed his strength in the aerial duel with Miguel Timm before glancing his header into the far-right corner.
Nku’s contribution for the second was even better.
Tinkler would have warned his Sekhkhune charges of Stellenbosch’s potency on the counter-attack, but the visitors were left exposed after they had spurned a golden opportunity of their own at the other end.
New Zealander Andre de Jong picked up the rebound inside the Stellies’ penalty area and immediately fed Nku on the right touchline.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns winger a showed touch of class by unleashing a defence splitting pass with the outside of his boot that was out of reach of the covering Sekhukhune United captain Daniel Cardoso to find Devin Titus hovering on the edge of the penalty area.
Titus needed no second invitation as he held his composure for his first goal of the season by calmly slotting past Renaldo Leaner in the Sekhukhune goal.
Nku had an opportunity to cap off a golden performance and possibly kill of the tie entire before heading off to the Peter Mokaba Stadium, when goalscorer Titus looked to repay his teammate by becoming the provider with a neat through ball.
But Nku could not show similar clinical execution in front of goal as he blasted his shot against the crossbar to leave Sekhukhune with a glimmer of hope heading into the second leg.
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