Titus banks on Stellies' resilience to secure third spot
Stellenbosch forward Devin Titus has vowed that they'll fight hard to finish third in the Betway Premiership for them to qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup again as they face Chippa United at Danie Craven Stadium tonight (7.30pm).
In what was their maiden campaign of continental football, Stellenbosch punched above their weight by reaching the Confed Cup semifinals, where they were eliminated by Tanzanian giants Simba, mentored by South African coach Fadlu Davids, in the semifinals.
Stellies lost the away leg 1-0, before playing to a goalless draw in the home leg in Durban last Sunday, meaning they bowed out 1-0 on aggregate.
“Hopefully, we can finish third. We will give it our all to get that third spot because we want to play continental football again next season,'' the 24-year-old Titus said.
“This group of players has been resilient. We once went to Morocco and lost 5-0 to Barkane [in their last Group B fixture of the Confed Cup campaign in January] and when we returned to SA, we beat AmaZulu 5-0 [in the league four days later], which showed how resilient this team is. Hopefully, we can use our Confed Cup experience to push hard domestically.”
While several players like Iqraam Rayners, Jayden Adams (both Mamelodi Sundowns) and Deano van Rooyen (Orlando Pirates) among others have left Stellies for big clubs in Gauteng in recent times, Titus, who's been in great form over the last two years, has made it clear that he wants to play overseas in the near future.
“I aspire to go overseas and play at the highest level and represent Stellenbosch because they've given me everything, so I just want to repay that. Everyone knows that going overseas is my goal as any youngster,'' said Titus, who's scored 23 goals in the last 12 months for Stellies.
Tonight v Chippa (H)
Saturday: v Arrows (A)
May 17: v SuperSport (H)
May 24: v CPT City (A)
*They're still to face Sundowns away after the game was postponed (the league is yet to confirm the date).
: Pirates v Sekhukhune, Orlando (7.30pm); Sundowns v Bay, Loftus Versfeld (7.30pm); Stellenbosch v Chippa, Danie Craven (7.30pm)
: AmaZulu v Polokwane, King Zwelithini (7.30pm)
: Chiefs v Pirates, FNB (3pm); Arrows v Stellenbosch, Mpumalanga (3pm); SuperSport v Chippa, Peter Mokaba (5.30pm); CPT City v Sundowns, Cape Town (8pm); Magesi v Sekhukhune, Seshego (8pm)
: Galaxy v Bay, Lucas Moripe (3pm).
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