The 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League got off to a flying start with 27 goals scored in just eight matches.
After a break of just over two months, action got underway this past weekend with every game producing a goal.
Only two matches ended in draws, while there were six winners as teams showed their intentions from start of the season.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE – WEEK 1:
| MATCHES: | 8 | |
| GOALS: | 27 | |
| DRAWS: | 2 | |
| WINS: | 6 | |
| BIGGEST VICTORY: | Sundowns Ladies | 4-0 vs Royal AM |
| MOST GOALS : | First Touch Ladies vs UJ Ladies | 4 – 1 |
| FAILED TO SCORE: | 4 | Tuks Ladies, Thunderbirds Ladies, JVW, Royal AM |
| CLEAN SHEETS: | 4 | TS Galaxy Queens, Durban Ladies, Lindelani Ladies, and Sundowns Ladies |
| HOME WINS: | 4 | Lindelani Ladies, Univ. of Fort Hare, Durban Ladies, Sundowns Ladies |
| HOME LOSSES: | 2 | JVW, First Touch Ladies |
SUNDOWNS LADIES 4 – 0 ROYAL AM:
Sundowns Ladies got the defence of their title in fine style as they ripped apart Royal AM, perhaps avenging for the only defeat they suffered at the hands of the KwaZulu Natal outfit last season.
Played at a hot Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Banyana Ba Style never looked in danger as they started the season as the biggest winners of the weekend with a 4-0 victory – a result which saw them top of the table on Day 1.
Boitumelo Rabale grabbed a brace while Andisiwe Mgcoyi and Nthabiseng Majiya chipped in with a goal each. Majiya was making her Sundowns Ladies debut alongside Cimone Sauls, while defender Bambanani Mbane, who was making her return to the side since her injury at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in August, was an unused substitute.
FIRST TOUCH LADIES 1 – 4 UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG:
The University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) returned home from Polokwane with all three points in the bag after defeating First Touch Ladies 4-1 – a match that served as the highest goal-scoring affair of the weekend.
Two goals from captain Refilwe Maseko and one each from Shannon Macomo as well as substitute Gugu Dhlamini were enough to see the students go second on the table.
Rabale and Maseko currently lead the top goal scorers’ chart with two strikes apiece.
In a perhaps unexpected turn of events, newcomers Lindelani Ladies from KwaZulu Natal and the University of Fort Hare (UFH) got off to a magnificent start on the first day on the job in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Both sides, promoted from the Sasol League at the end of last season, announced their arrival with victories in their opening matches in the big leagues – among the six fixtures that took place on Saturday, 2 March.
LINDELANI LADIES 3 – 0 THUNDERBIRDS LADIES:
Lindelani Ladies scored a comfortable 3-0 win over Thunderbirds Ladies from the Eastern Cape at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
The KwaZulu Natal side were overnight log leaders from Saturday (2 March) before being unseated by the defending champions Sundowns Ladies, thanks to a superior goal difference.
UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE 2 – 1 TUT MATSATSANTSA LADIES:
In only their first outing in the South African elite women’s football league, UFH not only registered a hard-fought and famous 2-1 victory over TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies FC, but also won the first Varsity Derby of the season.
This was also the first time ever a Hollywoodbets Super League fixture was played at the Davidson Stadium in Alice, Eastern Cape where the new kids on the block are based.
With this feat, UFH and Lindelani Ladies emulated JVW (2021) and Copperbelt Ladies (2023)who are the only other teams to have won their first games after gaining promotion into the Hollywoodbets Super League.
2021:
- JVW: Win
(beat Ma-Indies Ladies 5-1)
- Ma-Indies Ladies: Lose
2022:
- Vasco da Gama: Lose
- City Lads Ladies: Lose
2023:
- Copperbelt Ladies: Win
(defeated University of Pretoria 2-1)
- University of Pretoria: Lose
2024:
- University of Fort Hare: Win
(defeated Thunderbirds Ladies 3-0)
- Lindelani Ladies: Win
(beat TUT Matsatsantsa 2-1)
JVW 0 – 2 TS GALAXY QUEENS:
Head Coach Ashraf Calvert marked his return to the Hollywoodbets Super League with a positive result as he led his new side TS Galaxy Queens to a 2-0 win over JVW 2 – 0 at the UJ Soccer Stadium in Soweto.
To rub salt into the wound, the opening goal was netted by former Blue Diamonds midfield general, Mamello Makhabane, with Busisiwe Ndimeni grabbing the second goal on the the other side of the break.
DURBAN LADIES 2 – 0 UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA:
Durban Ladies got off to a flyer against the surprise package of 2023, the University of Pretoria, beating them 2-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
Last season, both sides won a game each against each other.
COPPERBELT LADIES 2 – 2 UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE:
At the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, last season’s runners up, the University of the Western Cape (UWC), shared the spoils with Copperbelt Ladies in a 2-all draw.
The home side, who are only in their second campaign in the league, took the lead in the first half, but relinquished it in the second stanza after two quick goals from the visitors.
But parity was restored within a few minutes for a 2-all draw.
RICHMOND UNITED 2 – 2 CITY LADS LADIES:
After a long travel to the Northern Cape, City Lads Ladies of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape returned home with a point following a 2-all draw against Richmond United at Merino Park in De Aar.
This was a good start for the Eastern Cape side who lost all four previous encounters against their hosts.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE – WEEK 1 RESULTS:
SATURDAY, 2 MARCH 2024
LINDELANI LADIES 3 – 0 THUNDERBIRDS LADIES
King Zwelithini Stadium
Durban
DURBAN LADIES 2 – 0 UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
King Zwelithini Stadium
Durban
UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE 2 – 1 TUT MATSATSANTSA LADIES
Davidson Stadium
Alice
JVW 0 – 2 TS GALAXY QUEENS
UJ Soccer Stadium
Soweto
COPPERBELT LADIES 2 – 2 UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
RICHMOND UNITED 2 – 2 CITY LADS LADIES
Merino Park
De Aar
SUNDAY, 3 MARCH 2024
FIRST TOUCH LADIES 1 – 4 UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
Baroka Global Stadium
Polokwane
SUNDOWNS LADIES 4 – 0 ROYAL AM
Lucas Moripe Stadium
Atteridgeville
By Matlhomola Morake
