Copperbelt Ladies of Limpopo confirmed their status as the top team in the Sasol League in 2022 after winning the National Champs following a 3-2 victory over favourites Gauteng’s Tuks in the final.
The two sides were deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
The visitors could have wrapped up the game in the first half after totally dominating this period but only had one goal to show for it.
This came on the stroke of halftime through Sinamile Mkhwanazi from a well-taken free kick.
In the second half they took their foot off the pedal and brought the hosts back into the match – and Copperbelt took advantage as they found an equaliser, albeit it was poor goalkeeping and terrible defending that made it 1-1.
Sindisiwe Ndlovu made a mess of things in the Tuks goal when she could not deal a shot coming directly at her, and when the ball hit the crossbar, captain Betty Mallela scored an own goal.
However much both sides tried to find the winner it was not to be, and they went to the dreaded penalty shootout, with Copperbelt emerging victorious.
The outcome meant they have not lost a match all season – they played 14 in the league and won all the games, scoring 59 in the process.
At the play-offs they played four matches and were victorious in all.
IN short they won 18 out of 18 in 2022.
They walked away with the winners’ prize of R200 000 and were also promoted to the Hollywoodbets Super League for the 2023 season, becoming the third Limpopo side in the elite division of women’s football in South Africa.
They are also the first Limpopo team to lift the Sasol League National Champs trophy.
Runners up Tuks pocketed R100 000 and will also play in the upper league next year.
The students are the third university team in the Hollywoodbets Super League, alongside the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Tuks is also the fifth Gauteng team in the league – the others are Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, TUT, JVW, UJ.
In the individual awards, Nomphelo Yakupi of Copperbelt Ladies was named the Player of the Tournament and also walked away with the Top Goal scorer award.
The Goalkeeper of the Tournament award went to Tuks goalkeeper Sindisiwe Duma.
Match officials Nonjabulo Ndela and Nomthetho Mbatsha received Referee and assistant Referee of the Tournament accolades respectively.
Individual Awards:
Nomphelo Yakhupi (Copperbelt Ladies): – Top Goal scorer & Player of the Tournament
Sindisiwe Duma (Tuks): Goalkeeper of the Tournament
Nonjabulo Ndela: Referee of the Tournament
Nomthetho Mbatsha: Assistant Referee of the Tournament
Copperbelt Ladies’ Road to glory:
Copperbelt 3 – 1 Dangerous Ladies
TS Galaxy 2 – 3 Copperbelt
SEMI-FINALS:
NWU Tawana 1 – 2 Copperbelt Ladies
FINAL:
Copperbelt Ladies (1) 3 – 2 (1) Tuks
By Matlhomola Morake
