Stellenbosch FC’s campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup began with a 2-0 defeat to Stade Malien de Bamako on Wednesday evening, as the South African side faced a tough challenge in their opening group stage match in Mali.
From the start, Stellenbosch struggled to find their rhythm against a well-organized Stade Malien defense. The home side made the most of their chances, and in the 30th minute, they opened the scoring with a clinical finish that left Stellenbosch’s goalkeeper little opportunity to stop it.
Despite showing signs of promise and pressing for an equalizer, Stellenbosch couldn’t break down Stade Malien’s defensive wall. In the 70th minute, the Malians doubled their lead, sealing a comfortable victory.
Stellenbosch, although disappointed with the result, will look to learn from this performance and improve as they move forward in the competition. Coach Steve Barker and his players will need to refine their attack and tighten their defense as they prepare for the next match in the group stage.
The loss puts Stellenbosch in a difficult position, but with determination and lessons learned from this game, they will aim to turn their fortunes around in the upcoming fixtures.
