The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has made history by climbing to the top of the log standings for the first time since the start of South Africa’s Premier Women’s football league in the 2019/20 season.
The closest they got to the summit was last season when they finished in position two, after being pushed all the by the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), who came third.
UWC started the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season on a very high note, showing no mercy to Coal City Wizards – who are still coming to terms with the recent loss of their owner, Mabu Maroaswi.
The Mpumalanga outfit never got out of the dressing room as they tumbled to a 9-1 loss, making the result the biggest in the new season.
Royal AM, formerly Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies, moved into the second spot after a two nil win over Limpopo’s Ma-Indies Ladies at the Malamulele Stadium in Giyani.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) travelled to the Chatsworth Stadium to face Durban Ladies and returned home with all three points in a 2-0 victory to sit in third position on the table.
Newcomers and 2022 Sasol League National Champions, Copperbelt Ladies, hosted fellow rookies Tuks Ladies in Polokwane. The hosts came from behind to register a tough 2-1 win in the repeat of the Sasol League National Champs final where the Limpopo side emerged victorious (3-2 on penalties).
All eyes were on TS Galaxy Queens, who are also new in the league, to see how they will perform after unveiling a star-studded team to campaign in the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League after acquiring the status of Vasco da Gama.
But the Eastern Cape’s City Lads Ladies, who are only in their second season in the elite women’s league, turned the tables on them, winning 1-0 at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha.
City Lads complete the top five after the first round of matches.
Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies were made to sweat for their victory by a stubborn Richmond United side in Atteridgeville.
Last season’s Hollywoodbets Super League Player of the Season, Boitumelo Rabale, came to the rescue of the Brazilians with a 46th minute strike as Banyana Ba Style collected maximum points.
Sundowns Ladies lie on the sixth spot.
The remaining two matches of the weekend were drawn with JVW clawing their way back to force a 1-all stalemate against Thunderbirds Ladies, while First Touch FC and TUT could also not be separated in a goalless draw.
The results sees the Blues in seventh place, followed by Thunderbirds, with First Touch and TUT rounding off the top 10
Due to a huge negative goal difference, Coal City Wizards find themselves bottom of the table, just below 15th-placed Ma-Indies.
A total of 20 goals were scored in the opening weekend of the 2023 campaign with all 16 teams in action.
Hollywoodbets Super League results – Week 1:
SATURDAY:
City Lads 1 – 0 TS Galaxy Queens
Coal City Wizards 1 – 9 UWC
Ma-Indies Ladies 0 – 2 Royal AM
Durban Ladies 0 – 2 UJ Ladies
SUNDAY:
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 1-0 Richmond United
Copperbelt 2-1 University of Pretoria
JVW 1-1 Thunderbirds Ladies
First Touch 0-0 TUT Ladies
By Matlhomola Morake
