Steve Barker is pleased with what his team did against AS Otoho! | OneFootball

The substitutes from the bench did everything well.

Steve Barker is pleased with what his team did against AS Otoho!

A late, dramatic winner from the substitutes' bench vindicated Steve Barker's intuition, sealing a vital CAF Confederation Cup victory for Stellenbosch FC over Congo's AS Otohô. In a match that seemed destined for a draw, it was a moment of quality in the dying seconds that made the difference.

Reflecting on the tense encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Barker revealed his belief in his squad's depth, saying,"I had the feeling we’d be able to win it off the bench but as the game went on and on, it could have gone either way."

That feeling materialized in the final minute. Barker described the decisive play:"But, one good moment, a good pass in behind by Thato for Ashley, where he is at his deadliest running onto things, and we got the goal."

He was full of praise for the impact players he was able to introduce, stating,"We had the ability to bring on people like Ashley Cupido, Thato Khiba, Sanele Barns, Genino Palace, and Langelihle Phili, who are real quality players, off the bench."

The coach admitted that the unfamiliarity with the opposition led to a cautious first-half approach, aimed at avoiding the early goals that have plagued the team recently. The strategy paid off, allowing for the late-game heroics. A relieved Barker summed up the result perfectly:"A win is a win, and scoring at the death is the best time to get a lead, so it was just nice to get the win."