A heavy weight has come of Cassius Mailula's shoulder after the South African striker netted his debut goal for Toronto FC. Here's a closer at his gradual progression off the pitch now that the striker is back smiling again.
The story
The jump from Mamelodi Sundowns to Toronto has not been an easy one for the 22-year-old. Having joined the Canadian giants in July 2023 in a deal worth €1.5 million (R30.4 million), he has had a miserable start to life overseas, as he only made four appearances for the side to date.
On Wednesday, he was handed his first-start for the when they came up against semi-pro Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship, which is a similar tournament to the Nedbank Cup in South Africa.
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Famously called 'The Six', Toronto is certainly a city that would intimidate anyone, let alone a young man from Ga-Molepo in Limpopo like Mailula.
Just the climate alone contrasts the environment that Mzansi star grew up in, as his home province is notorious for hot weather, while Toronto can have temperatures dropping as a low as -6°C between the winter months of December to March.
The marksman's struggles to adjust are quite obvious and he arguably deserves more courtesy from fans, former stars, and media alike, who have been growing impatient with his lack of involvement in Major League Soccer.
Mailula has kept calm and yesterday's performance testament to the fact that he has kept his head down, worked hard, and waited for his opportunity. Despite long spells on the sideline, the player has never had an outburst over his lack of minutes, even when he return to Mzansi over the festive season.
It unclear what his lifestyle entails in Canada but one would imagine that it heavily involves long hours at the BMO Training Ground.
According to the club's official website, the facility is worth $21 million (R399 million) and comprises "three full size grass fields (two heated), one artificial field with an air supported bubble for year-round use, and a 40 000 square foot field house that is equipped with locker rooms, training facilities and team offices."
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