Cupido steals dramatic late winner as Stellenbosch edge AS Otoho in CAF opener

Stellenbosch FC kicked off their CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign with a vital, yet hard-fought, 1-0 victory over AS Otoho D’Oyo at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polowane on Sunday afternoon.

The Winelands-based side, forced to play their home fixtures in Polokwane due to their Western Cape venues failing to meet CAF group stage requirements, secured all three points thanks to a dramatic late winner from second-half substitute Ashley Cupido.

Coach Steve Barker’s men, who reached the semi-finals of this competition last season before falling to Tanzania giants Simba SC, were determined to start the group phase strongly. However, the Congolese opposition proved difficult to break down, resulting in an unconvincing start for Stellies.

Better late than never 😍#HeartoftheCape #MoreThanFootball #StellenboschFC 🍇 pic.twitter.com/BTyp1JMqHh

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) November 23, 2025

Dull Affair Decided by Stellenbosch Star Cupido

The match settled into a tough, tactical battle characterised by misplaced passes and limited genuine opportunities. Stellenbosch’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Muzomuhle Khanyi in the 20th minute, whose long-range strike forced the Otoho goalkeeper into a rare save. The visitors, however, arguably had the best moment when a free-kick left goalkeeper Sage Stephens beaten, only to strike the crossbar before the break.

With the game lacking pace and goalmouth action, the score remained level at 0-0 heading into the break.

Recognising the lack of spark, Barker made a crucial triple substitution after the hour mark, injecting fresh energy with the introduction of Ashley Cupido, Thato Khiba, and Sanele Barns.

The changes ultimately paid dividends. After Sanele Barns and Cupido combined for an effort that was denied by Otoho keeper Aboubacar Doumbia, it was Khiba who turned provider in second-half stoppage time. Khiba set up Cupido, who found space in the box to fire home from close range, sealing the dramatic 1-0 victory for Stellenbosch and ensuring maximum points in their crucial opener.