Barker admits humidity could benefit Richards Bay

Stellenbosch will be hoping for third time lucky when they face Richards Bay in the Carling Knockout semifinals at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Kick-off is at 3pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)

The Maroons are still searching for their maiden appearance in a cup final after falling at the penultimate hurdle twice over a four-month period this year.

Steve Barker's side lost to Sekhukhune United on penalties in the last four of the Nedbank Cup back in May before being eliminated by Orlando Pirates in the MTN 8 semifinals in September.

Stellies saw off Chippa United (2-1) and Polokwane City (2-0) in the previous two rounds of the League Cup and come into this weekend's clash on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions.

Barker admits the climate in Durban has been a challenge for his players, but is hopeful they can overcome the conditions after beating AmaZulu 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium last weekend to claim their first victory in the city since 2016.

"We don't get this humidity that we experience in this game (against AmaZulu)," he said. "It's always been a difficult place to come and we have to get used to it.

"We are here for another two matches. We are here next week with Richards Bay and if we can pass that difficult hurdle, then we are back here for the finals.

"It's nice to break that duck and it will give us confidence and belief that we can do it again."

The Natal Rich Boyz are also bidding to reach their first-ever final in a cup competition and signalled their intentions when they defeated the Buccaneers on penalties in the quarterfinals.

Kaitano Tembo's side have found the going tough in their second season in the DStv Premiership and are second from bottom after winning just two of their opening 13 matches.

However, a 0-0 draw with Pirates last weekend extended their unbeaten run to two games, giving them a timely morale boost ahead of their biggest fixture in 2023-24.

Tembo is wary of the threat posed by the Cape Winelands outfit, but is hoping that home-ground advantage can help Richards Bay achieve their goal.

"They play with so much speed going forward... Iqraam Rayners, Deano van Rooyen as well as Jayden [Adams]. These are quick and energetic players, so if we can nullify them I think half the job would have been done," he said.

"On one side, we have that advantage of playing in front of our own fans and I think that has played a huge part in our progress.

"At the same time, these are cup games and they are tough. We played Swallows and Pirates - they were tough. Credit should go to the players and fans who've been pushing the team."