Devin Titus strike sinks Gallants as Stellenbosch snatch victory

The match, marked by missed chances and resolute defending, saw Stellies claim three vital points to bolster their playoff push, while Gallants' struggles in front of goal left them languishing near the relegation zone.

The first half was a cagey affair, with both sides creating opportunities but failing to find the net.

Gallants, despite enjoying 45% possession, peppered the Stellenbosch goal with six attempts. Gaba Mhango came closest, forcing a smart save in the 23rd minute, while Junior Zindoga fired just over the bar earlier on.

Stellies, holding 55% of the ball, were less prolific, managing only three shots, Brian Onyango's effort from a corner drifting wide in the third minute summed up their early frustration.

The half ended goalless, with Gallants' Sede Dion picking up a yellow card just before the break for a clumsy challenge.

The second half sparked into life as Stellenbosch found their rhythm. After Devin Titus narrowly missed in the 49th minute, the breakthrough came in the 53rd. Ashley Cupido rattled the post with a fierce strike, and Titus pounced on the rebound, firing home to give Stellies a deserved lead.

Gallants responded with intent, Mhango's low drive in the 60th was well held, but they couldn't convert pressure into goals.

Substitutions shook things up late on. Gallants threw on Rewaldo Prins, Monde Mphambaniso, and Mlungisi Khumalo to chase the game, while Stellies bolstered their ranks with Genino Palace, Khomotjo Lekoloane, and Kyle Jurgens.

Chances kept coming, Cupido tested the keeper in the 84th, and Mhango curled a free-kick just over in the 76th, but the scoreline held firm.

Gallants' Diala Manaka and Prins went close in the dying moments, only for their efforts to miss the mark.

Stellenbosch finished with 51% possession and 13 goal attempts, shading Gallants' 49% and 10 efforts. The win lifts Stellies to third in the standings with 31 points from 19 matches, keeping them firmly in the hunt for a top finish.

Gallants, meanwhile, remain rooted in 13th with just nine points from 20 games, their lack of cutting edge painfully evident.

This result underlines Stellenbosch's growing resilience and Gallants' desperate need for a spark. For football fans, it was a classic tale of one moment of quality deciding a hard-fought battle.