STELLENBOSCH FC have honoured the memory of late defender Oshwin Andries with their historic 25-game unbeaten record.
Andries was 19 when he died in a stabbing last February. The Western Cape side announced their decision to retire his No 25 jersey shortly thereafter.
Club coach Steve Barker spoke to the media after his side trounced Golden Arrows 3-0 at the Danie Craven Stadium on Wednesday.
Barker, who handed Andries his first-team debut, expressed how much emotion had gone into motivating his team to achieve the 25-game unbeaten run in honour of the late defender.
“A special number 25, that we are all very mindful of the No 25 jersey, so today was a special one. I think again we capped it off with another special performance. I think our last three games, (against) SuperSport (United, we scored) four goals then five against Polokwane (City) and another three today against some really good teams,” said Barker.
“One can only give credit and admire and be proud of what the players are doing and the way they’re playing, and the way we are scoring and creating goals.”
The experienced coach also let the media in on a conversation he had with his squad a while back, a conversation that handed his group the impetus to achieve this milestone.
He said: “A couple of weeks back on social media when it was 23 unbeaten, we showed Jayden Adams and then I was just asking … has anyone got number 24? Thabo Moloisane said I’m 24, then I said what’s after that? Then everybody pretty much knew. Oshwin’s shirt is in our team meeting room, it’s hanging on the wall there and everybody knows the number.”
Stellies’ latest victory saw them tighten their grip on the only remaining CAF Champions League spot as they edged three points ahead of Orlando Pirates who had won earlier in the day.
At the heart of Stellenbosch’s win was once again the unstoppable trio of Devin Titus and Bafana Bafana men Jayden Adams and Iqraam Rayners.
Titus inflicted the first blow to Abafana Bes’thende as he scored the first of three goals while Rayners scored his 14th to leap back into first place on the DStv Premiership scoring charts.
The Cape Winelands outfit have had a remarkable 2023/2024 campaign and have already captured their first-ever silverware since being promoted to the top flight five years ago.
The Carling Knockout Cup winners now have their sights set on making another final when they clash with Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semis on Sunday.