Thirty six (36) goals were scored just this weekend alone in the Hollywoodbets Super League, with only four teams getting clean sheets: UJ, UWC, Durban Ladies and JVW.
A heavy downpour, accompanied by lightning, preceded the first Tshwane Derby of the 2023 season.
The setting was the Tsakani Stadium in Brakpan where the Tshwane University of Technology faced neighbours and newcomers to the league, the University of Pretoria (Amatuks) – their first ever meeting in the competition, having played each other in the Varsity Cup.
Once the rain had subsided, the match officials inspected the pitch and later gave the thumbs up for the game to continue after completing their checks,.
In the beginning, as expected, the contest was marred by starts and stops due to puddles of water, making it difficult for the players to play a flowing game.
But with sun starting to dry the field, things changed and the fixture came to life.
It was the new kids on the block who broke the deadlock through Wendy Shongwe.
The celebrations had hardly down however, when Sizanda Komane equalised for TUT.
Shongwe restored her side’s advantage when she made it 2-1, before Ibanathi Msindo grabbed the third, for a 3-1 lead.
Tshegofatso Motlogelwa reduced the deficit to 3-2, leading to a nervy end to the game.
But there was joy and relief when the final whistle sounded after Amatuks held on to their lead – registering their first win in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
They also claimed the bragging rights in the Tshwane Derby against their more fancied opponents.
Earlier in the day at the same venue, league champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies laboured to a 4-1 victory over newcomers Copperbelt Ladies of Limpopo.
Lelona Daweti had put the Brazilians into the lead 21 minutes into the match before Boitumelo Rabale increased the advantage in the 35th minute for a 2-0 lead.
Playing against a team that sat back, Banyana Ba Style continued looking for gaps and eventually found them, and Melinda Kgadiete extended the lead on the 50th minute mark while second half substitute Andisiwe Mgcoyi made the game safe with the fourth in the 68th minute.
Thandi Rameri grabbed a consolation goal for First Touch, as Sundowns Ladies registered their fourth win in four games, taking them back to the summit of the table, which had been temporarily been occupied overnight by the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
The Capetonians shot to the top of the table following a demolition act against East London’s Thunderbirds Ladies.
The students fired five with no reply from the struggling home side, who are yet to win a match in four outings.
The 5-0 victory saw Thinasonke Mbuli’s charges stretch their winning streak to three in a many matches, and are the highest scoring team with 16 goals, having conceded just one.
The score could have been higher but Sibulele Holweni’s seventh minute penalty was saved by the hosts goalkeeper.
It took captain of the day Amogelang Motau to break the deadlock 10 minutes later for a 1-0 lead.
Fiona Ndlovu doubled the advantage in the 30th minute before completing her brace on the stroke of half time as the two sides disappeared down the tunnel with UWC three goals to the good, and no reply from Thunderbirds.
In the 68th minute Holweni made amends when she increased the lead with an assist from Motau.
A minute later, second half substitute Khanyisa Manengela (she came in for Babalwa Mngxunya) made it a comfortable victory when she netted goal number five.
With a game in hand, UWC are second on the table on nine points, level with the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies), who returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion.
They were the biggest winners this weekend after an impressive 6-0 victory over City Lads Ladies, taking them to third place on the table.
Leading the charge was Sphumelele Shamase who scored a hattrick (33’, 74’, 90’) ably assisted by a City Lads own goal (44’), while Shannon Macomo (74’) and Sbongakonke Mzobe (83’) added to the tally.
It also rained goals at Merino Park in De Aar when Richmond United swept past Coal City Wizards in a 5-1 thrashing. The home side has banged in 10 goals in two matches – they also beat Durban Ladies 5-1 in their last fixture.
Coal City Wizards have a porous defence in the league so far with 20 goals conceded in four games (they lost a 9-1 to UWC at the beginning of the season) – and this could haunt them at the end of the season.
The Mpumalanga side is lying in 15th place, with just one point to their name and three defeats.
Home advantage could not save bottom-of-the-table Ma-Indies as they suffered their fourth loss in a row in as many games.
The Limpopo outfit went down 4-0 to Durban Ladies in Polokwane, and remain the only side without a point so far this season.
A battle royale ensued in Hammersdale, KwaZulu Natal when hosts Royal AM and TS Galaxy Queens played to a 2-2 draw.
Both sides failed to hold on to their leads before they shared the spoils. Royal AM broke the deadlock before the visitors equalised and then took a 2-1 lead at half time, only for the home side to stage a comeback fight for a draw – the only game that was left undecided this weekend.
In Soweto, JVW needed another last minute gasp winner as they defeated Limpopo’s First Touch 1-0 with a Mary Ntsweng strike in the 88th minute.
The Blue Diamonds also scored late against Ma-Indies last weekend to secure all three points.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE WEEK 4 RESULTS:
UJ 6 – 0 City Lads
Richmond United 5 – 1 Coal City Wizards
Thunderbirds 0 – 5 UWC
Royal AM 2 – 2 TS Galaxy Queens
Ma-Indies 0 – 4 Durban Ladies
Sundowns Ladies 4 – 1 Copperbelt Ladies
JVW 1 – 0 First Touch
TUT 2 – 3 UP
By Matlhomola Morake
