Durban has become Stellenbosch FC’s home away from home this season after the Danie Craven Stadium playing surface was rendered unplayable for football because of a combination of rugby and the wet Cape winter.
Therefore, they should be quite comfortable with their surroundings when they play Orlando Pirates in the final of the MTN8 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night (6pm kickoff).
Stellies have used Moses Mabhida at the start of a hectic season, which has seen them in action in the MTN8, the Betway Premiership and CAF Confederation Cup qualifiers.
Their coach Steve Barker also doesn’t mind travelling to KwaZulu-Natal, being a Durban boy himself. He even revealed his favourite Bunny Chow spot during Wednesday’s media briefing at their Lentelus training ground in Stellenbosch.
“Britannia Hotel!” Barker joked when quizzed about his favourite place to get the famous Durban meal.
But, while Stellies have been made to feel at home at the Moses Mabhida, they know that their opponents in Saturday’s cup final love that stadium just as much as them.
Pirates are gunning for an historic third-straight MTN8 title at the venue after beating AmaZulu in 2022 and Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023 in the showpiece match.
Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker says they are looking forward to playing the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates in familiar surroundings.
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But Stellenbosch FC have also lifted a cup at the 2010 Fifa World Cup venue after clinching the Carling Cup trophy in Durban last season — their first ever top-flight trophy.
“I think we've played more games at Moses Mabhida than at Dannie Craven this season. It’s has become a nice place to go to,” said Barker.
“Obviously the comfortability of being in a final in Durban, the Carling Cup final was also in Durban ... this season we've played both the Confed games there as well and Sundowns [in the semi-finals] and we had good success in all of them.
“But at the same time, we also know that Pirates ... it's not a bad place for them either. They'll have the majority of the support as one would expect. But having played there recently, and having had good success, it does give us that element of confidence going into the game.”
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