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Stellenbosch DStv Diski Challenge coach Evangelos Vellios believes that his team’s mental fortitude and past championship experience will give them an edge over Kaizer Chiefs.
Vellios’s squad demonstrated their resolve by staging an impressive comeback to secure a 3-2 victory against Richards Bay at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday.
Even after conceding two quick goals in the first half, Stellenbosch, the current champions, rallied to net three goals and seize the win.
This success propelled them to the top of the DStv Diski Challenge leaderboard with 57 points from 25 matches, placing them two points ahead of the Chiefs, who are scheduled to compete against TS Galaxy at the same venue in Durban on Sunday.
The Chiefs face the task of reclaiming the top spot against Galaxy and have proven to be a formidable team this season, having only suffered two losses.
When queried about whether their previous league victory offers them an advantage over the Chiefs, Vellios stated, “I believe so.”
“They drew with us last week, and we needed that win to make every moment count, especially given the challenges we faced in the previous season.”
“In our last match, we were ahead 2-0 against Golden Arrows in Tsakane but ended up drawing 2-2 before eventually winning [4-3]. We’ve faced tough challenges before, with Antonio van Wyk scoring two goals; we understand the difficulty.”
“The Chiefs boast outstanding players and a fantastic coaching team; they are capable of producing great results. However, we must apply pressure on them for as long as possible.”
“The Chiefs have performed admirably, and whoever ultimately secures the title, as I mentioned, will truly deserve to be the champions.”
Vellios isn’t counting on Galaxy to upset the Chiefs, as Amakhosi previously triumphed over them 4-1 in their past encounter last year. Furthermore, the Chiefs have two games in hand, having completed 23 matches compared to Stellenbosch’s 25, with three fixtures left to play.
The season was initially set for 30 matches, but Royal AM was removed from the league due to a FIFA ban that prevented them from registering new players.
Considering the Chiefs’ additional matches, Vellios recognized that the outcome of the title is not entirely within their control.
“If Kaizer Chiefs outpace us, which they are well-positioned to do, we cannot simply rejoice in our victories. I believe no team deserves to have the title stripped from them; only one will be crowned the winner.”
“Whoever emerges on top will have rightfully earned it. It’s also unfair to suggest that any team deserves to lose the title. We must concentrate on our remaining three matches and strive for wins.
“If we accomplish that, we will have met the goals we set at the beginning of the season.
“And I can’t help but feel pride for our players for achieving that.”
Stellenbosch’s upcoming fixtures include matches against AmaZulu, Marumo Gallants, and TS Galaxy.
