All 16 Hollywoodbets Super League teams will be in action this weekend with the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies playing catch-up after falling behind schedule due to various reasons.
The Brazilians last played in the league on 26 August 2023 when competition resumed following the completion of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
But they featured in only one match – defeating Copperbelt Ladies 1-0 – before jetting off to Durban for the CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers. They played five games at the tournament, winning them all to lift the trophy and qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League in Ivory Coast in November this year.
Upon their return, their league fixture on 16 September against Durban Ladies postponed due to safely concerns in the Umlazi area.
Along with JVW and the University of the Western Cape (UWC), their next games were set aside as all three clubs had three or more players in the Banyana Banyana squad that travelled to the USA for two friendly matches.
ROYAL AM vs MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES: 15H00
As matters stand, Banyana Ba Style have played 19 games, while the other teams have completed 22, 23 or 24 fixtures.
The Brazilians are 10 points behind log behind log leaders UWC.
In their first match in a long time in the league, Sundowns Ladies will be at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg to tackle a tricky Royal AM – the only side to beat them this season, something Jerry Tshabalala, Head Coach of the Chloorkop outfit hasn’t forgotten.
“It’s our first game in the Hollywoodbets Super League – not really first game as such – but we back to the league and we are being welcomed by a very strong opponent in Royal AM. You know what happened in the previous meeting between us, we lost 1-0, it’s going to be a humdinger of a game but we’re looking forward to this one. These are the games that make you the Champions, we’ve got to show that championship mentality, it’s a pity with us we had to prepare the team without some of the players who were with the national team but we’ll have them on match day-2, and hopefully they will give us a boost coming from the international break that they had with Banyana Banyana, and we are looking forward to this one,” Tshabalala told the Sundowns Media Team.
“In this game we need to be on our best foot. We know them, we understand how they play this side that’s very good technically and tactically. They’ve been doing well in the league but for us we just need to rely more on the strength, we need to spread the balls more on the wings and try to bring those crosses and hope that our strikers will finish those chances that will create up front.”
His words were echoed by forward Morifi Chuene, who had a good tournament at the COSAFA Women’s Champions League qualifier.
“The team is feeling good although there’s just a couple of injuries, but I think overall we’re doing well. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do with games in hand, but you know what they say, games in hand are not points, so we have to work for those. But I think overall we’ve been doing well, and we have the momentum from the Cosafa Champions League qualifier,” said Morifi.
UWC vs COPPERBELT LADIES: 15h00
Watching the proceedings elsewhere will be the log-leaders UWC, who will do everything to maintain the status quo, and they are well aware that should they will all remaining league matches, they will be crowned the new Hollywoodbets Super League champions, regardless of the results from the other teams.
With three games ahead of Sundowns Ladies – and eight to go to the end of the season, Thinasonke Mbuli’s charge will not want to drop any points as they know the quality of the Brazilians.
The Capetonians face a stubborn Copperbelt Ladies at the UWC Stadium.
THUNDERBIRDS LADIES vs MA-INDIES LADIES: 15h00
The Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha will host the battle of the strugglers between Thunderbirds Ladies and Ma-Indies Ladies – second from bottom and bottom of the table respectively.
The two are separated by four points after 24 rounds of fixtures.
The visiting Ma-Indies will be brimming with confidence after earning their first point last weekend following a string of 13 losses in a row.
TUT FOOTBALL CLUB vs JVW FC: 15h00
An epic battle is also expected when JVW visits the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria.
The Blue Diamonds are third on the table on 47 points, three points behind Sundowns Ladies.
TUT is 11th.
FIRST TOUCH ACADEMY vs UNIVERSITY OF JHB: 15h00
First Touch Ladies will welcome the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) to the Noordelikes Stadium in Polokwane. Both sides have had a rollercoaster of a season and will be eager to head towards the finish on a high note.
The two teams find themselves on position seven (UJ Ladies) and 10 (First Touch). The visitors have played 24 games, one more than the hosts.
TS GALAXY QUEENS vs COAL CITY WIZARDS: 15h00
The Mpumalanga Derby headlines action on Sunday (1 October) when TS Galaxy Queens host neighbours Coal City Wizards at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium.
The home side will be eager to return to winning ways after two successive losses, and will want to get their mission of challenging for the league title back on track at the expense of the struggling Coal City who are 14th on the table, and still haunted by relegation.
TS Galaxy has fallen to the sixth spot after hovering around the top five position since the start of the season.
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA vs DURBAN LADIES: 15h00
Durban Ladies, who last played at the beginning of this month after their matches were postponed, will have to be at their best when they face the surprise package of the season, newcomers, University of Pretoria (Tuks Ladies).
The two meet at the Groenkloof Stadium in Pretoria.
The hosts are fifth on the table after 14 wins in 23 outings – they lost seven and drew six, while the visitors have played two matches less and are ninth.
CITY LADS vs RICHMOND UNITED: 15h00
City Lads Ladies are desperate for points as they are in position 13 and not completely out of the danger of relegation.
They will want to change their stressful situation when they come up against Richmond United at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha.
The visitors will have a spring in their step after defeating the high-riding TS Galaxy in their previous match, and will be hoping to continue where they left off, while City Lads drew in their last outing.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES:
SATURDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2023
ROYAL AM vs MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES
Harry Gwala Stadium
Pietermaritzburg
15H00
UWC vs COPPERBELT LADIES
UWC Stadium
Cape Town
15H00
THUNDERBIRDS LADIES vs MA-INDIES LADIES
Isaac Wolfson Stadium
Gqeberha
(Live on SABC Sport Channel)
15H00
TUT FOOTBALL CLUB vs JVW FC
TUT Pretoria Stadium
15H00
FIRST TOUCH ACADEMY vs UNIVERSITY OF JHB
Noordelikes Stadium
Polokwane
15H00
SUNDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2023
TS GALAXY QUEENS vs COAL CITY WIZARDS
Solomon Mahlangu Stadium
Mpumalanga
15H00
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA vs DURBAN LADIES
Groenkloof Stadium
Pretoria
15H00
CITY LADS vs RICHMOND UNITED
Isaac Wolfson Stadium
Gqeberha
15H00
By Matlhomola Morake
