McCarthy on cloud nine after ‘smash-and-grab’ win

FOOTBALL can be a cruel game and Stellenbosch FC are finding out just how brutal it can be at the highest level.

For the fourth consecutive match Steve Barker's team's hearts were broken in the closing stages of the encounter.

Last night at the Danie Craven Stadium it was Benni McCarthy's in-form AmaZulu that banged home a 93rd minute winner from Thabo Qalinge, which earned the KwaZulu-Natal outfit a 1-0 victory – a record sixth on the trot to propel them into second position on the DStv Premiership log.

McCarthy's team had no business winning this match and would have been lucky to even leave Cape Town with a point, such was Stellenbosch's dominance throughout. It was no surprise that the home team were crestfallen when the final whistle eventually went as everyone in maroon were sprawled across the turf in disappointment.

Barker had warned his team to focus more during the final 10 minutes as Stellies have become renowned for lapses in concentration in the closing stages.

It has cost them numerous points already this season and it came back to haunt them yet again.

And Qalinge made Stellies pay for their wastefulness in front of goal as he showed the home team's strikers the killer instinct required as he rounded Sage Stephens after latching on to a pass from Siyethemba Sithebe.

But Stellies only have themselves to blame for their situation that has now seen them without a win in seven league matches.

Stanley Dimgba and Ashley Du Preez were full of running throughout the game. Du Preez, in particular, had a couple of chances to put the home team in the lead.

Junior Mendietta also drilled a few shots at the AmaZulu goal but to no avail.

"I thought we did everything to win the game, but we didn't get the ball in the back of the net and that's disappointing," Barker said.

"But that's how football goes. If you don't take your chances you leave yourself open to the sucker punch. It's very disappointing because the team is playing well but we’re not picking up the points."

McCarthy admitted his team were fortunate on the night.

"Lady luck was on our side. Sometimes you need luck. Stellies had a game plan and they were better than us, but we're the team that goes home with the three points,“said McCarthy.

“They did not have their scoring boots on because otherwise we would have lost. But it's not over until it's over and we go home smiling. I am going to start smoking cigars!" McCarthy said.