Current Hollywoodbets Super League log leaders, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) dropped valuable points when they were held to a goalless draw by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in the last match of the triple header held at the TUT Main Campus Stadium in Tshwane.
With the battle of the Universities failing to produce a winner, TUT is now on 39 points, just one behind second-placed JVW FC who walloped strugglers Golden Ladies 8-0 at the Wits Stadium in Auckland Park.
The Blue Diamonds opened the scoring in the 20th minute through 16-year old Sinenhlanhla Nkosi], her debut goal.
Captain Nompumelelo Nyandeni led from the front when she made it 2-0 on the half hour mark before Robyn Moodaly fired a rocket two minutes later for a 3-0 lead at the break.
The livewire Cimone Sauls increased the gap with the fourth for JVW in the six minute after the recess.
Nyandeni grabbed her second of the day, and fifth for the Blue Diamonds in the 61st minute.
Not to outdone, Alochia Lelaka scored netted goal number six in two minutes later.
With the result all but secured, JVW made several changes including the introduction of Gabby Salgado who had been sidelined by injury for 12 weeks – leading to her missing out on the 2022 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which Banyana Banyana won.
She played like she never left as she set up Lelaka’s second goal – hardly a minute after coming on.
Salgado marked her return to action when she completed the 8-0 rout with a goal in the 79th minute.
The victory saw the Blue Diamonds go top of the table for a few hours before TUT regained their position at the summit of the log table on Sunday (21 August).
The Tshwane side has played 18 matches – two more than JVW, and five more than reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies who are clawing their way back to the top after a hard-fought 1-0 win against a stubborn Durban Ladies.
Chantelle Esau scored the solitary that separated the two sides.
The Brazilians are now in third place, three points behind the leaders with five matches in hand.
In another tough encounter, the University of Johannesburg held off the challenge of a strong Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies with the match ending in a 1-1 draw, both goals scored in the first half.
It was a good day at the office for newcomers City Lads Ladies when they won a seven-goal thriller, snatching an away 4-3 victory over Thunderbirds Ladies at the Bunkers Hill Grounds in East London.
This was City Lads’ third win of the season in 17 matches, after 3 draws and 11 defeats – the result sees them move further away from the relegation zone as they occupy 13th position with 12 points, just one above fellow Hollywoodbets Super League debutants, Vasco da Gama who played to a 1-1 draw against the struggling Tsunami Queens.
The Limpopo derby between Ma-Indies and First Touch FC also failed to produce a winner, ending in a goalless stalemate, while the Richmond United vs Coal City Wizards fixture did not take place as there were some unresolved issues – with no official word coming through.
By Matlhomola Morake
