Ezemvelo Ladies of KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape’s University of Cape Town will be playing in the Hollywoodbets Super League in 2025 after gaining promotion to the South African elite women’s football league on Friday (18 October 2024).
The two sides won their respective semi-final clashes at the 2024 Sasol League National Championship in Knysna, and will replace the relegated Lindelani Ladies and Thunderbirds Ladies from KZN and the Eastern Cape respectively.
UCT become the sixth university team in the top flight of women’s football, following in the footsteps of the University of Fort Hare, TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies, University of Johannesburg, University of the Western Cape and the University of Pretoria.
In the semi-finals, Ezemvelo had to dig deep to defeat a stubborn Ramatlaohle Ladies side 1-0 thanks to a second half strike by Amanda Mkhize. The goal was enough to see them progress to the final in only their second year of existence, and they join KZN outfits Royal AM and Durban Ladies in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Limpopo’s Ramatlaohle was making their second appearance in the Sasol League National Championship.
Ezemvelo head coach Nkosingiphile Maphumulo admitted that his charges wanted it more and his previous experience with Durban Ladies made the difference.
“From 2009 to 2017, I’ve been in this tournament (at Durban Ladies), and we didn’t make it, so I think the experience I generated during that period played a vital role in this tournament in terms of preparation,” said Maphumulo, after his side won the opening match 2-0, drew the second 1-1 and beat Ramatlaohle.
In the light of Lindelani getting the drop after only one season, the Ezemvelo mentor was clear about the way forward.
“To make sure that our success is not short-lived, I need to make sure that we don’t celebrate for too long. We need to start planning as soon as possible and not wait for next year,” he added.
UCT’s path was marred by an off the field incident after they were involved in a motor vehicle accident en route to Knysna. This left head coach Ahmed Parker hospitalised and needing an operation while two members of the team survived with injuries.
But the Capetonians managed to put that behind them and focus on the assignment in front of them. They drew 1-all against Ezemvelo and then demolished the Eastern Cape’s Sophakama Ladies 6-0 to top the group. In the semi-final, they brushed aside fellow students Kovsies FC from the Free State 4-0, with goals from Michaela Liebenberg, Janica Andrews, Tara Haoust and Alvina Enoh – a total of 11 goals in three games.
Shaquille Williams, one of the assistant coaches at UCT, says the accident may have contributed in helping the players focus.
“It’s been a very intense week for us. It was the technical team that was involved in that accident. We were on the road to Knysna from Cape Town and two of us (Williams and goalkeeper coach Mark Kapman) managed to come and be with a team. Our head coach (Ahmed Parker) was a bit worse – he had to go for two operations and he’s waiting for a third now. It was very traumatic for the girls to experience what they experienced but overall we stuck together and did what we needed to do,” said Williams who still had his head bandaged.
“Our goal never changed, we wanted to be in the Hollywoodbets Super League and I think the accident brought us together.”
UCT and Ezemvelo will contest the final on Sunday (20 October) to determine who will be crowned Sasol League National champions. The two sides met in the group stages of this competition with the clash ending in a 1-all draw.
“We are expecting more of the same, they are a very good side, take nothing away from them but football is football – sometimes it goes for you sometimes it doesn’t. All we have to do is to pitch up, so the fans can see a good game,” added Williams.
The winners will away with 200-thousand-rand prizemoney while the, runners up will pocket 100-thousand-rand.
The match takes place at the Loerie Park Sports Grounds in Knysna with an 11am kick off.
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED TEAMS:
- 2019: JVW and Ma-Indies
- 2020 (postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19): Vasco da Gama and City Lads Ladies
- 2022: Copperbelt Ladies and Tuks
- 2023: University of Fort Hare and Lindelani Ladies
9 PROVINCIAL TEAMS IN 2024:
- Ramatlaohle Ladies (Free State)
- Super Strikers FC (Mpumalanga)
- FC Raycon (Gauteng)
- Kovsies FC (Free State)
- NWU (North West)
- Royal Wizards (Northern Cape)
- Sophakama Ladies (Eastern Cape)
- Ezemvelo FC (KZN)
- UCT (Western Cape
SEMI-FINALISTS:
- Group A: Ramatlaohle: 4pts
- Group B: Kovsies: 6pts
- Group C: UCT: 4pts
Best Second Placed: Ezemvelo 4pts
SEMI-FINALS:
1ST SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
RAMATLAOHLE LADIES 0 – 1 EZEMVELO
(Friday, 18 Oct 24)
2ND SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
UCT 4 – 0 KOVSIES (Varsity Derby)
(Friday, 18 Oct 24)
FINALS:
EZEMVELO vs UCT
SUNDAY, 20 October 2024
By Matlhomola Morake
