Stellenbosch FC v TS Galaxy – Carling Knockout final, 16 December, Moses Mabhida Stadium, 15h00
Right from the commencement of the tournament in October, it was always evident that the so-called smaller sides were not willing to be pushed around and bullied by their massively supported counterparts in the newly launched Carling Knockout. It is therefore no surprise that after all is said and done, two modest sides in the form of Stellenbosch FC and TS Galaxy have made it to the final of the competition. To think that the Winelands outfit were founded in 2016, while the Rockets only saw the light of day a year earlier! Credit needs to be given to layers from both camps for the effort they've put in, as well as the coaches who've plotted the downfall of their opponents along the way. Unfortunately, though, only one team will lay their hands on the trophy come Saturday afternoon in Durban. Who will it be? Soccer Laduma's Tshepang Mailwane reviews the game.
Barker v Ramovic, a battle of wits
Cup finals are not only about the players but what the coaches are able to bring to the table. In a country where club bosses are always ready to wield the axe, both Steve Barker and Sead Ramovic have done well to keep their jobs, showing consistency in leading their sides over the last few years. The nephew of the late legendary Clive Barker joined Stellies while they were in the second tier in 2017 and led them up to topflight football, while his German counterpart has been at the helm of the Rockets since 2021, becoming the club's longest-serving coach. Ahead of the final, Soccer Laduma looks at how these two tacticians compare.
Cup pedigree
Barker
When it comes to playing in knockout competitions, particularly in South African football, Barker has more experience. He led second-tier outfit University of Pretoria to the Nedbank Cup final in 2009, beating Kaizer Chiefs along the way, before Moroka Swallows edged them at the last hurdle. With Stellenbosch, he has led the club to three semi-finals in the past, including the Carling Knockout this season, and they have finally cracked the code to reach a final this time around. The first semi-final Barker led the Winelands side to was in May this year, in the Nedbank Cup. Determined to reach their first final, the club was knocked out by Sekhukhune United on penalties. The MTN8 early this season was another opportunity for them to reach the final, but Orlando Pirates beat them on away goals in the semi-finals. At the third time of asking, they beat AmaZulu 3-2 in the Carling Knockout semi-finals and now have an opportunity to win a first major knockout trophy.
Rating: 7/10
Ramovic
Since arriving in the PSL in 2021, the furthest Ramovic had gone in a cup competition before this season's Carling Knockout was the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup last season, where they were knocked out ironically by Stellenbosch, the club they will be facing at Moses Mabhida Stadium this weekend. While he may not have the type of experience Barker has in knockout competitions in the PSL, Ramovic's men have shown a lot of resilience in the Carling Knockout this season, winning two penalty shootouts along the way against Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune. It's that resilience he will be looking for to get over the line and overcome a Stellies side that is not easy to beat at the moment.
Rating: 4/10
Current form
Barker
Stellenbosch are in great form going into the final and are certainly the favourites to win this one, judging by their impressive results late. In the league, they have moved up to third on the standings with an unbeaten run of six matches, five of which have resulted in victories. Barker's men have kept four consecutive clean sheets in the DStv Premiership, and they just seem to be growing in confidence every week. They go into the final on the back of a derby victory over Cape Town City in the league last weekend, so they will definitely be on a high. In the Carling Knockout, they registered all their victories away from home, with two clean sheets along the way. They are in the right type of form to claim a first major knockout competition title, but they should also guard against being complacent.
Rating: 8/10
Ramovic
While Galaxy have done well to get to the final, they have not really found a rhythm this season. Currently in 13th place on the standings, they have lost four of the last six games they have played in the league, which should no doubt be a concern. They go into the final on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Orlando Pirates, but the head coach might not be too concerned because players tend to raise their game in big encounters like this one. They did exactly that when they knocked the Brazilians out in the Last 16, holding their nerve in the penalty shootout to progress. It's that spirit Ramovic will be looking for from his players to get over the line.
Rating: 5/10
Squad experience
Barker
Barker has players who have been in the game for a while, but not too many of them know what it takes to win a knockout competition final. Oscarine Masuluke, who is likely to start on the bench as the second-choice goalkeeper, won this competition with Baroka FC while it was still known as the Telkom Knockout, so his words of encouragement will spur the players on. The club has a number of players who are under the age of 25, so the older citizens will have a big role to play to ensure that they are in a good space to get the job done on the day.
Rating: 5/10
Ramovic
When times are tough, the Rockets mentor has players in his dressing room to help inspire the club to success. Bernard Parker is unavailable for this clash due to the horrific injury he sustained, but the wealth of experience he gained while he was at Amakhosi will come in handy when he speaks to players who have never featured in a cup final before. Vuyo Mere and Thamsanqa Gabuza are other players in the squad who know what it takes to win knockout competition finals, so they will definitely be guiding the younger players in the team. The experience of players such as Lindokuhle Mbatha, Marks Munyai, Samir Nurkovic and Pogiso Sanoka will be key.
Rating: 8/10
The key men
Stellenbosch FC
Devin Titus
The speedy winger has been a standout performer for Stellies in the Carling Knockout, playing a key part both as a goal scorer and creator. The 23-year-old has been on the scoresheet In the last two fixtures in the competition, against Richards Bay FC and Polokwane City respectively, and will be determined to make it three in a row when they face Galaxy on Saturday. Titus has the pace to unsettle the opposition defence and can make those dangerous runs into the box to get himself on the score sheet.
Sage Stephens
The goalkeeper is expected to make a return to the starting line-up after serving a one-match suspension in Stellenbosch's last league game, against Cape Town City. Stephens has featured in every game in the Carling Knockout and is, in fact, one of two goalkeepers, along with AmaZulu FC captain Veli Mothwa, who have kept more than one clean sheet in the competition. Stephens is not the biggest of goalkeepers but communicates well and is able to command the area well, giving his defenders confidence.
TS Galaxy
Pogiso Sanoka
The former Maritzburg United defender is without a doubt their most important player at the back, using his experience to guide the younger players in the team, while making sure that he keeps things tight. Sanoka is strong in the air and hardly ever shies away from a tackle. His ability to play out from the back gives Galaxy an option to slow the game down and find a way through the opposition midfield. They will be looking at him to keep a close eye on the likes of Iqraam Rayners and Anicet Oura.
Samir Nurkovic
He made a slow start to life at the side, but he is finding his feet and it will certainly benefit the club. The former Chiefs forward has bagged three goals in all competitions, including what proved to be the winner in the Carling Knockout semi-final against AmaZulu. That goal would no doubt have given him confidence and it came at the right time before the final. The Serbian is strong in the air and can use his physique to terrorise the opposition. His experience will come in handy for Galaxy, who don't have a deadly striker other than him up front.
Carling Knockout in numbers
• Galaxy have missed just one penalty in the two shootouts they have been involved in during the competition. They went all the way to penalties against Sundowns in the Last 16, winning it 5-4. In the quarterfinals, they scored all their spot kicks in a 4-2 shootout win over Sekhukhune. Vladimir Siladji is the only player to have not converted from the penalty spot, but fortunately they still progressed as they knocked the Tshwane giants out. The Rockets are the only club to have gone through more than one penalty shootout in the competition.
• Stellenbosch have kept two clean sheets in the competition, against Polokwane City and Richards Bay. They last conceded a goal in the Last 16, when they beat Chippa United 2-1.
• This is the second time the Rockets will be playing at Moses Mabhida Stadium, after they beat AmaZulu at the same venue in the semifinals. A good omen? Only time will tell.
• Three of Stellies' matches in the Carling Knockout have been played away from home. They are the only club to have played three games on the road, knocking out the Chilli Boyz, the Citizens and the Natal Rich Boyz.
• Galaxy have proven to be a more lethal side in the first half during the competition. Of the five goals they have scored in this year's edition, four have been netted during the first half. This is something Stellenbosch would need to be aware of. The Mpumalanga outfit have also conceded four goals, which should be a concern for them going into the final. All four goals were let in during the second half.
• Stellies have had six different goalscorers in the competition, showing that they do not rely on one person to find the back of the net. Luke De Jong, Kgaogelo Sekgota, Rayners, Oura, Antonio Van Wyk and Titus, who has two goals, have all netted in the competition.
• Stellies are the top scorers in the competition with seven goals. They've netted five of the seven in the second half, showing that they are more dangerous after halftime. Will Barker have the better half-time talk than Ramovic?
