The Hollywoodbets Super League action moves to midweek due to the upcoming international break.
The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will go into a training camp on Monday, 25 March to start preparations for the much-anticipated fixture against Nigeria early next month in the crucial fourth and final round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers on a home and away basis – with the winner booking their ticket to the global showpiece.
South Africa is looking for their third appearance after featuring in 2012 and 2016, while the Super Falcons haven’t been to the Games since 2008 following qualification in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Back to the Hollywoodbets Super League, eight matches have been scheduled.
Midweek action starts on Wednesday, 20 March 2024 with the only fixture at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha when City Lads Ladies welcome TS Galaxy Queens. Both sides will have a bounce in their step following last weekend’s victories.
Kickoff is at 11h30.
Human Rights Day will see seven other matches take place around the country.
The biggest clash of Week 4 is the ever-exciting fixture between reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and 2022 and 2023 runners-up, the University of the Western Cape (UWC), on Thursday, 20 March 2024 at 15h00.
Banyana ba Style will be in Cape Town in an attempt to retain their top of the table status after three victories in as many matches, while the students will be aiming to claw their way back into the top eight.
The home side is still reeling from the setback of their last outing where they lost 1-0 to JVW – the latter registering their first ever win over the Capetonians in seven attempts.
The battle between Sundowns Ladies and UWC has always been a fiercely contested one, but history is on the Gauteng outfit which has dominated the fixture over the years.
Banyana ba Style have scored 12 goals in eight games in this fixture and conceded three, while UWC has managed only three strikes.
This will be ninth meeting, with the Brazilians claiming six victories, one win for the students and one match drawn.
Two years ago, UWC Head Coach Thinasonke Mbuli and her charges had a fruitful year in this encounter – beating Banyana Ba Style 2-0 on 15 May 2022, and managed a point in a 1-all draw in the second round.
But that was the only success for the students, and they will be looking to repeat that feat when they meet again.
The past two seasons, they finished in second place behind Sundowns Ladies.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
UWC vs SUNDOWNS LADIES:
2019/20:
- 3 – 0 (Sundowns)
- 2 – 0 (Sundowns
2021:
- 1 – 0 (Sundowns)
- 1 – 0 (Sundowns)
2022:
- 2 – 0 (UWC)
- 1 – 1 (draw)
2023:
- 3 – 0 (Sundowns)
- 1 – 0 (Sundowns)
In other Thursday fixtures, newcomers Lindelani Ladies will have to be at their best when they visit, in their first ever meeting, second-placed Copperbelt Ladies at the Baroka Global Village in Polokwane. After back-to-back losses, the KwaZulu Natal side will be eager to change their fortunes, against the hosts who are yet to lose a match in three outings.
A big test awaits the pointless Thunderbirds Ladies from the Eastern Cape and Limpopo’s First Touch Ladies.
Thunderbirds are second from bottom and have lost all three matches. They will be hoping for a relief when they face TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies at the TUT Pretoria Stadium at 15h00. The home side is also not doing too well with only one win, and two losses.
At the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, First Touch Ladies entertain the newcomers from Alice, the University of Fort Hare, who have lost their last two fixtures after introducing themselves to the Hollywoodbets Super League with a win. This is the first ever meeting between the two sides.
Kickoff is at 15h00.
Royal AM have started on a wrong footing and have only one point to show after three games. They face a stubborn University of Johannesburg who have managed two wins and one defeat (the latter against Sundowns Ladies), placing them fourth on the table. The clash takes place at the UJ Soweto Stadium at 11h00.
After their first win in the 2024, JVW travel to the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban in high spirits to face Durban Ladies, with a 13h00 kickoff. The hosts have six points to their name and will be looking to add on that to remain within touching distance of the log leaders, while the visitors will be hoping to gain momentum from their Friday (15 March 2024) success.
A tough battle is on the cards at the University of Pretoria Stadium – this is when the Northern Cape’s Richmond United makes the long trip to face the University of Pretoria (Tuks Ladies) at 13h00. The visitors have two wins and a draw, and occupy third place, while Tuks Ladies is sixth with two victories. The home side will be without the influential striker Wendy Shongwe who is in injured.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES: WEEK 4
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
City Lads Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens
Isaac Wolfson Stadium
Gqeberha
15h00
Thursday, 21 March 2024
UWC vs Sundowns Ladies
UWC Stadium
Cape Town
15h30
UJ Ladies vs Royal AM
UJ Soweto Stadium
11h00
Copperbelt Ladies vs Lindelani Ladies
Baroka Global Village
Polokwane
11h30
Durban Ladies vs JVW
King Zwelithini Stadium
Umlazi
13h00
University of Pretoria vs Richmond United
University of Pretoria Stadium
13h00
TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies vs Thunderbirds Ladies
TUT Pretoria Stadium
15h00
First Touch Ladies vs University of Fort Hare
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
15h00
By Matlhomola Morake
