Almost a year ago (23 June 2023), forward Jermaine Seoposenwe was doing a video interview with Jozi FM’s Themba Tshabalala. The setting was the Sefako Makgatho House in Tshwane, and the occasion was the announcement of the final Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that was going to take place in Australia and New Zealand about a month later.
Seoposenwe had just moved from FC Juarez in Mexico and signed up with one of the top teams in the same country, FC Monterrey, in her own words to ‘become a champion of Mexico’.
“One of the top teams both on the women’s side and the men’s side and they have a rich history. They have been champions before, so that’s what I want to be, I want to be a champion of Mexico and I felt like Rayadas is the perfect spot for me to do that,” she told Tshabalala.
Speak it, and it will happen!
Fast forward to 2024 and Seoposenwe’s words have come true. She is a League champion in Mexico – exactly like she called it.
She and her teammates had to do it the hard way, though, winning the quarterfinals and the semi-finals before getting stuck in the first leg and their dream almost evaporating when they lost 1-0 away to Club America.
But come the reverse fixture at home, the Rayadas was in a different class, with the Capetonian playing a crucial role in the proceedings.
The Banyana Banyana forward scored perhaps the most important goal of her career – and a well-taken one too – as they were trailing 2-0, before Rebecca Bernal found the equalizer in referee’s optional time.
The duel ended in a 2-2 aggregate stalemate and headed to the dreaded penalty shootout to decide the 2024 Clausura Liga MX Femenil champions.
FC Monterrey stood firm, winning 4-3 and claimed their third league title – the first for the Banyana Banyana forward, and a first for a South African in Mexico.
Only four teams have won the Liga MX Femenil in Mexico:
- UANL Tigres: a record 6 times
- CF Monterrey: 3 times
- Chivas Guadalajara: 2 times
- Club America: 2 times
In a social media post, Seoposenwe had this to say:
“In the semifinals of the Apertura 2023, I had a chance to score and take my team to the finals, but I missed that opportunity, and we ended up losing 1-0. At the start of the Clausura 2024 I put this picture as my Lock Screen to remind myself of what it felt like to lose. Every day for about five months this picture was what I saw when I touched my phone. It was a cruel reminder, but I needed it, because I knew I didn’t want to feel like this when this Clausura came to an end. But look at how God takes one of the most disappointing times in my life and turns it around and gives me an opportunity to then score in a Final. Who would have thought this would be my testimony today. But I trusted God and placed all my hope and in him, and now l’m a Champion in Mexico. I’ve always said that I joined Rayadas to be a champion, because I felt like it was the best environment for me to do it in. It feels so surreal but I’m so proud of this team and all the work we put in. Some doubted us but we stuck together, had each other’s backs and believed in ourselves,” she said.
Her coach, Amelia Valverde – who was also in her first year at Rayadas, had nothing but praise for the entire team.
“From the first day I had to sit at this table, the goal has always been very clear: I came to compete, to look for the championship and to reach a Final. This is a recognition that I can have with them (staff), it’s up to me to show my face, but there is a group that works daily in all areas. I only have words of gratitude. This day turned into a magical one,” she told the media in the post-match Press Conference.
“I have great pride for everyone, this institution deserves it. It opened the doors to women’s soccer and today life and soccer rewards us. I am happy and congratulations to the players, we have won our third title.”
The team will take a bit of a well-deserved short recess for the off-season, while some will be joining various national teams during the international break. The team has to return for the start of the Summer Cup in the USA in July.
Valverde says the win is an extra motivation for Rayadas to go in search of more titles.
“This is a winning team that will always want more. It is intrinsic in the institution to want to go for a bi-championship, to want to compete in the Summer Cup, in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and in everything else. Winning today is a motivation to want to continue winning,” she said.
FC Monterrey has qualified for the inaugural CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup which will feature nine other teams – including rivals UANL Tigres and Club America – and will be used as a qualifier for the new FIFA Women’s Club World Cup starting in 2026.
Mexico League winners:
| Year | Winner | Country | ||
| 2023/2024 Clausura | CF Monterrey | Mexico | ||
| 2023/2024 Apertura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2022/2023 Clausura | CF América | Mexico | ||
| 2022/2023 Apertura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2021/2022 Clausura | Deportivo Guadalajara | Mexico | ||
| 2021/2022 Apertura | CF Monterrey | Mexico | ||
| 2020/2021 Clausura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2020/2021 Apertura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2019/2020 Clausura | No Champion | |||
| 2019/2020 Apertura | CF Monterrey | Mexico | ||
| 2018/2019 Clausura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2018/2019 Apertura | CF América | Mexico | ||
| 2017/2018 Clausura | UANL Tigres | Mexico | ||
| 2017/2018 Apertura | Deportivo Guadalajara | Mexico |
ROAD TO THE 2024 CLAUSURA FINAL:
QUARTERFINALS:
- UNAM Pumas 0 – 2 CF Monterrey
- CF Monterrey 1 – 0 UNAM Pumas
(Monterrey won 3-0 on aggregate)
SEMI-FINALS:
- CF Monterrey 2 – 0 Pachuca
- Pachuca 2 – 4 CF Monterrey
(Monterrey won 6 – 2 on aggregate)
FINAL:
- Club America 1 – 0 CF Monterrey
- CF Monterrey 2 – 1 Club America
(match ends 2-2 aggregate)
(Monterrey won 4-3 on penalties)
By Matlhomola Morake
