The match was played to formally introduce Casric FC to Giyani football fans as the club plans to use Giyani Stadium for its home-based matches. The team also played against the winners of the Mayor’s Cup tournament, Gezani United FC. Unlike Dzekula Sky Masters, Gezani United only lost 6-0. Gezani Mashaba of the Greater Giyani Local Football Association (GGLFA), said local players missed an opportunity to showcase their skills.

“You could see from the way they played that they were undisciplined and not prepared; it is possible that some of them were still recovering from the previous night’s binge on alcohol,” explained Mashaba who was visibly disappointed with their performances. “We brought this team here to afford them an opportunity to get the exposure they need to further their football careers, but they did not make the most of the opportunity,” he said.

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“A player without discipline does not last in this industry,” he said. Casric FC’s head coach, Ashwin Sutton, said his team already boasts a few local players and was hoping to get more in the future. “We plan to play a few of our home games here, so today’s two matches were meant to help us get a feel for the stadium as well as formally introduce ourselves to the community of Giyani,” he said.

Greater Giyani Municipality’s spokesperson, Steve Mavunda, confirmed that the municipality has an agreement with Casric FC to use Giyani Stadium as its home ground. “We also agreed to do some renovations to the stadium to make it compatible with SAFA standards,” he said.