Stellies back in CAF action aiming to turn season around

STELLENBOSCH FC will return to the CAF Confederations Cup this weekend, travelling to Equatorial Guinea to face 15 de Agosto FC at the Ebebiyin Stadium on Saturday.

- OBAKENG MELETSE

The Cape Winelands side make their entrance in the second preliminary round after reaching the last four of last season's competition, where a narrow 1-0 aggregate loss to Simba FC denied them the chance to extend their impressive continental run.

With this marking their second consecutive season in Africa’s secondary premier competition, the Maroons progress on the continental stage has been undeniable, demonstrating their growth and ambition despite being a relatively young club in topflight football. However, the team heads into this weekend's clash following a tough start to their league campaign. After nine matches, they have claimed only a single victory and sit in the bottom half of the table.

A five-match winless run has left them in 14th place. While the squad still retains considerable talent, some recent transfer decisions may now be showing their consequences.