Stellenbosch FC expecting Mamelodi Sundowns tweaks in MTN8 return leg

The lanky forward looked sharp when he came off the bench in the first leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday, seeing his two clear-cut chances saved by Stellies goalkeeper and man of the match Sage Stephens. 

Barker is aware Downs will come out the blocks firing as they need to overturn the 1-0 deficit at Moses Mabhida Stadium this weekend. 

"It's difficult to predict, but I think a player like Sales showed, in the little bit of minutes that he had, how good a player he is," acknowledged Barker.

"Obviously sometimes you blood new players in, especially foreign players who maybe didn't start this evening, but I think now that he had minutes, there's a strong possibility that he starts the game.

"I think Themba [Zwane] has always been their talisman, so it is possible that he also gets a start, but I don't want to think too far ahead [about the opposition]."

READ: Stellies eager to unleash Ashley Cupido against Sundowns

The Stellies mentor admitted his side won’t get away with sitting back and absorbing the pressure to defend their narrow lead. 

"Look, it's a tricky situation for our opponents, they've got to come out and get a result, so hopefully there will be spaces for us to exploit and attack in the second leg," he added.

"And it's going to be key for us in the second leg that, the chances we hopefully can create and get, we have to take because, if we don't, it's just not going to be possible to defend for 90 minutes.

"So we're going to have to be brave and continue to play, and take the game to them whenever it is possible, but I agree – in one or two situations we should have been a bit more clinical and may have come away with an even bigger league.

"But I'll take [the one goal] and be humble enough to accept it an away win a massive result for us, but a lot of work is still to be done [in Durban]."