SuperSport's Champions League hopes dented as Stellies hold them to a draw

SuperSport United's chances of qualifying for the Caf Champions League have taken a knock after their goalless draw with Stellenbosch FC in a DStv Premiership clash at TUT Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday night. 

The Gavin Hunt-coached side didn’t do enough to win the clash at home and Stellenbosch were the better team on the night but couldn’t beat the formidable SuperSport goalkeeper Ricardo Goss. 

The result leaves SuperSport in third place on the log table with 48 points, with only two games left for them before the end of the season. They are one point behind second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have three games to play. 

Should Pirates beat the unpredictable Royal AM at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday (3pm) they will open a four-point gap and put themselves in a good position to clinch the runners-up place. 

The first half in Pretoria produced minimal action with both sides failing to get even a single shot on target. 

SuperSport had all their goal attempts going wide while the visitors missed the target three times in the opening half. 

Stellies missed a notable member of their attack in Iqraam Rayners, who couldn’t play against SuperSport due to a clause in his contract that prohibited him. 

Rayners moved from SuperSport to his former club Stellies at the beginning of the year and the striker has been in sublime form. 

Since rejoining the men from the Winelands in January after a difficult time in Pretoria, Rayners has scored an amazing 15 goals in all competitions. 

The Steve Barker-coached side also missed the influential Junior Mendieta who has eight league goals and one in the Nedbank Cup. Mendieta was rested for the semifinal on Sunday.

The start of the second stanza gave a bit of hope as Stellies captain of the day Jayden Adams forced a good save from Goss. 

Goss produced another massive save on 69 minutes to keep his side in the game and denied Juan Ortiz his first goal of the season. 

Barker would be really proud of his team for the result as they missed key players, and they had goalkeeper Reid Bombay who made his Premier Soccer League debut at the age of 26. 

While Matsatsantsa a Pitori will be on a short break, Stellies will host Sekhukhune United in a Nedbank Cup semifinal at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Sunday (6pm).