There were goals aplenty on the opening day of the 2022 Hollywoodbets Super League season, with all the matches played producing winners.
JVW FC were the biggest beneficiaries and produced the first hat tricks of the season after demolishing Richmond Ladies with a dominant 10-2 victory at the Wits Stadium in Johannesburg, making their intentions very clear early in the season.
Five goals in either half – including three goals each from captain Nompumelelo Nyandeni and Gabriela Salgado – were enough to see the Blue Diamonds walk away with a well-deserved three points in this one-sided affair.
Mbuzi, as Nyandeni is known among her peers, continued from where she left off last season where she was joint top goal scorer alongside Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ forward Andisiwe Mgcoyi with 27 strikes each.
At the break, JVW led 5-1 with goals from Robyn Moodaly (8th), Mamello Makhabane (13th), Salgado (17th & 35th) as well as Nyandeni (39th).
The visitors managed to pull one back on the stroke of half time to make it 5-1.
The second half was a replica of the first with Nyandeni (59th & 64th), Salgado (69th) and Tanna Hollis (85th) getting on the scoresheet.
This was Hollis’ maiden strike for her side after she was promoted from the youth team.
There was also time for an own goal in referee’s optional time after a shot by Salgado was deflected into the net.
Richmond got their second in the 73th minute.
The victory saw the Bedfordview-based side shoot to the top of the table with three points.
Elsewhere, new kids on the block Vasco da Gama and City Lads Ladies received a baptism of fire when they suffered losses in their opening matches in the elite women’s league – but both were able to open their goals account in the process.
The two sides were promoted to the Hollywoodbets Super League after contesting the final of the Sasol League National Championship playoff, with Vasco lifting the title.
At Siwelele Park, Bloemfontein Celtic brushed aside Vasco 2-1, while the University of the Western Cape defeated City Lads ladies by the same margin at the Isaac Woolfson Stadium in Qgeberha.
Sibulele Holweni and Sinegugu Zondi netted for the travelling party in the 26th and 46th minutes respectively.
The hosts were gifted a goal in the 71st minute when goalkeeper Regirl Ngobeni made a save but fumbled the ball to allow City to pull one back.
A solitary goal by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) was enough to see the Gauteng side secure victory against Coal City Wizards at the Puma Stadium in Mpumalanga.
After a goalless first half, the visiting Thunderbirds Ladies scored two in the second stanza to emerge 2-1 victors against Golden Ladies at the University of the North West.
The clash between hosts Durban Ladies and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) has been postponed to a later date due to the floods that ravaged the KwaZulu Natal province recently.
There are more matches to round off the weekend, with a double header in Giyani, Limpopo where First Touch FC will go toe to toe with Tsunami Queens at 11h30, while reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will kickstart the title of their defence against Ma-Indies FC at 15h00.
Hollywoodbets Super League Week 1 results:
Saturday, 23 April 2022
Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies 2 – 1 CR Vasco da Gama 15h00
City Lads Ladies 2 – 1 UWC 15h00
Coal City Wizards 0 – 1 UJ 15h00
Golden Ladies 2 – 1 Thunderbirds Ladies 15h00
JVW FC 10 – 2 Richmond United 15h00
Durban Ladies (POSTPONED) TUT
FIXTURES:
Sunday, 24 April 2022:
Giyani Stadium, Limpopo
First Touch Academy vs Tsunami Queens 11h30
Ma-Indies FC vs Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 15h00
** These two matches will be broadcast live on SABC Sport and on Channel 124 on Openview **
To view fixtures and results, visit https://mysafa.net or www.safa.net
By Matlhomola Morake
