Thus far, two rounds of competitive football has taken place indicating that teams are adapting well to the new health and safety protocols.
SAFA’S Frances Baard dual-stream completed two rounds of competitive football this past weekend, indicating that it has adapted well to the new health and safety protocols initiated by the league to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The league also welcomed four newcomers to its fold. Two new clubs earned promotion from the local football associations namely Kimberley’s Real Madrid FC and CF Mots of Wrenchville.
The other two new clubs profited from league status purchases. In the inland stream Finsch-based Southey Stars FC bought the status of Warrenton’s Magareng Young Stars FC while Kuruman’s Zasco FC bought out neighbours Maruping United FC.
Safa provincial league secretary Willem Coetsee this week released the first round league log standings of the past weekend. In the inland stream only two teams, Kuruman Kicks FC and Postmasburg-based Rasta Fa Eagles, have yet to get their game going.
Coetzee explained that Rasta Fa Eagle’s match against Real Madrid did not take place on Sunday as the AR Abass ground was deemed unsuitable according to rule one of the playing rules, meaning that the ground marks were not visible.
ALSO READ: LFA pitches far from perfect ahead of March kick-off
Kuruman Kicks for their part had a bye because it was the odd team on the roster of nine clubs. Other than those two the other six teams in the inland conference have each played two matches.
For now, Upington’s Hungry Lions are comfortably top of the heap with a six-pointer while NC Liverpool are close second with four points. Newcomer NC Zasco is sitting pretty with two points. Real Madrid, Colville United and Tsantsabane Stars all have single points to their account.
In the coastal stream newcomer Southey Stars leads the veteran club members with six points while NC Professionals and Tornado are second and third respectively with four points each.
Newcomer club CF Mots finds itself at the bottom with the likes of Mainstay United and Olifantshoek Stars. All of them appear to be rusted and far from being a well-oiled machine as a result of the Covid-19 imposed rest period.
Coetzee said the clubs appeared to have adhered well to the Covid rules prescribed for all matches by the national body. “They have registered compliance officers at each match. They keep team attendance registers for tracing purposes and no spectators are allowed at stadia in keeping with the level one lockdown rules,” he told the DFA.
Coetzee also mentioned that the league has reverted to its old dual-stream format for the 2020/21 season. This was done to accommodate the league’s interim non-relegation policy. This has meant an expanded league of nine members per stream instead of the usual eight.
Safa will return to the promotion and relegation system once this season is over, according to Coetzee.
