The most anticipated fixture of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season will take place on Sunday, 22 October when reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, and log leaders University of the Western Cape (UWC) meet in a top of the table clash.
The battle royale will take place at the UWC Stadium in Cape Town and kick-off is at 11h00.
UWC vs Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies: 11h00
With only three points separating the pair, the outcome could go a long way in deciding this season’s champions.
After 24 matches each, the students lead the pack on 66 points, three more than the defending champions who are in second place. The Capetonians have 22 wins, with two losses and yet to draw this season, while Sundowns Ladies have 20 victories, three draws and one defeat.
The Brazilians have dominated this fixture since the start of the South African elite women’s football league – winning six of the seven previous meetings, with only one draw (1-1), the only time that the students managed to find the back of the net against their much-fancied opponents.
The first time they met in 2019 Sundowns Ladies won 3-0 and registered the same score line earlier this year, the last time they played each other – scoring 13 goals in the seven previous encounters.
In recent times the Chloorkop outfit has been in red-hot form and merciless towards the goalkeepers. They netted 29 goals in four matches this month alone – 6-0 vs City Lads; 6-0 vs Durban Ladies; 6-1 vs JVW; 11-0 vs Coal City Wizards.
UWC has enjoyed a great run too – winning 11 matches in a row since their last tasted defeat ( 3-0 to Sundowns Ladies in May this year).
HEAD TO HEAD UWC vs SUNDOWNS LADIES:
6 October 2019
3-0 (Sundowns)
11 Feb 2022
2-0 (Sundowns)
9 May 2021
1-0 (Sundowns)
28 November 2021
1-0 (Sundowns)
15 May 2022
2-0 (Sundowns)
18 September 2022
1-1
14 May 2023
3-0 (Sundowns)
Durban Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens: 13H00
Four more matches are scheduled for Saturday, 21 October.
Fourth-placed TS Galaxy Queens, who have missed out on winning the league title this season, will travel to the Princess Magogo Stadium to face Durban Ladies who are ninth.
Newcomers TS Galaxy are on 48 points with six matches remaining, and can only get to 66 – which is where UWC is currently sitting with six games left. The Mpumalanga outfit has a chance to challenge for third place but will face stiff challenge from JVW and Royal AM, who are third and fifth currently, on 53 points and 48 respectively.
Royal AM vs City Lads Ladies: 15h00
JVW has a bye this weekend while Royal AM will welcome City Lads Ladies to the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg. The visitors are in high spirits following their win last weekend against the relegated Ma-Indies Ladies.
The host on the other hand will be looking for a change of fortunes after two draws and a loss in their last three fixtures.
Copperbelt Ladies vs UJ Ladies: 15h00
The University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) will be in Polokwane to take on newcomers Copperbelt Ladies, who are finding the going tough in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
The Limpopo side is 13th on the table with 21 points and not entirely safe from relegation with four games to go.
UJ is sitting pretty on the eighth spot but will want to improve that as they finished fifth last season.
Coal City Wizards vs University of Pretoria: 15h00
Still smarting from an 11-0 loss – the highest ever recorded defeat in the elite South African Women’s Football league – Coal City Wizards is in serious danger of relegation.
They will be in a battle for survival when they come up against the University of Pretoria (Tuks Ladies) at the Puma Stadium in Witbank. Coal City is 15th on the table with 13 points, seven behind Thunderbirds Ladies who are one spot above, and also not in action this weekend.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES:
SATURDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2023
Durban Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens
Princess Magogo Stadium
Umlazi
13h00
Royal AM vs City Lads Ladies
Harry Gwala Stadium
Pietermaritzburg
15h00
Copperbelt Ladies vs UJ Ladies
Rugby Field next to Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
15h00
Coal City Wizards vs University of Pretoria
Puma Stadium
Witbank
15h00
SUNDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2023
UWC vs Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
UWC Stadium
Cape Town
11h00
By Matlhomola Morake
