MATCH TIME: 2:30 PM
MATCH REVIEW:
Stellenbosch Football Club is a South African football club established in 2016 following the relocation of Vasco da Gama F.C. to Stellenbosch, Western Cape. It is the first Premier Soccer League (PSL) team to be based in Stellenbosch, and the club plays home games at Danie Craven Stadium and Idas Valley Stadium.The club was formed in August 2016 when the Premier Soccer League Executive Committee approved the application from National First Division side, Vasco Da Gama for a name change following the relocation from Parow to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) in Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch F.C.'s first National First Division game was played on August 28, 2016. Stanley Muishond scored the first goal in team history in a 3–1 loss to Mthatha Bucks. On 1 December 2016, Stellenbosch confirmed that Steve Barker had joined Sammy Troughton in a joint-coach position. The Cape Winelands side finished their inaugural season in third, clinching the final promotion/relegation playoff spot by one point. However, Stellies finished last in the mini-league. Following an unsuccessful attempt to gain promotion to the Absa Premiership Stellenbosch parted ways with head coach Sammy Troughton.
In 2017, Stellenbosch's second season, the team recorded ten wins and ten losses in the thirty matches of the season. The team failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing eighth. In August 2018, the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport purchased Stellenbosch Football Club.
The final round of the 2018–19 National First Division season saw Steve Barker's Stellenbosch F.C. confirm their title victory – and promotion to the Absa Premiership (now DSTv Premiership) – with a 0–0 draw at home to Maccabi F.C.
On 25 October 2020, Stellenbosch F.C. made history by playing the first PSL game (against Moroka Swallows F.C.) at the Danie Craven Stadium.[4] This stadium is traditionally a rugby stadium and, as of 2020, is one of the two venues for Stellenbosch F.C. home games in Stellenbosch. DSTv Diski Challenge matches are played at Idas Valley Stadium, while DStv Premiership games are played at the Danie Craven Stadium.
Kerala Blasters Football Club , commonly referred to as The Blasters, is an Indian professional football club based in Kochi, Kerala, that competes in the Indian Super League, the top tier of football in India. The club was established in May 2014 during the inaugural season of the Indian Super League.
The club played their inaugural match on 13 October 2014, losing 1–0 to NorthEast United. The Blasters are the three time runners up of the Indian Super League. They first entered the final in 2014, where they lost 1–0 to ATK after an injury time goal from them. In 2016, they were again defeated 4–3 by ATK, this time through penalties in the final. The club entered the final for the third time in 2022, where they were defeated 3–1 by Hyderabad FC through penalties. The Blasters plays home games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. In most of the seasons since the club's founding, Kerala Blasters have held the record for the highest league attendance, regularly attracting audiences of over 40,000 per game. The Blasters shares rivalry with fellow South Indian neighbours Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC, with whom they contest in the South Indian Derby.
The Blasters are one of the most widely supported clubs in Asia and has one of the largest social media following among the football clubs from the continent. The club is also known for their fan base, including the supporters' group called Manjappada, which has gained a reputational for being one of the most vocal and passionate fan clubs in India. The club's crest features an elephant holding a football with its trunk, denoting Kerala's deep connection with the sport. The club's traditional kit consist of yellow and blue colours scheme, with yellow being the primary colour and identity of the club ever since the beginning.
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