Limpopo’s Ma-Indies Ladies Football Club will be campaigning in the lower Sasol League after they were relegated from the Hollywoodbets Super League on Saturday, 14 October 2023 with three games to play.
The end of their journey comes after a three year stay in the top flight of South African Women’s Football, following in the footsteps of Tsunami Queens (Free State) and Golden Ladies (Northwest) who failed to beat the relegation axe last season.
Ma-Indies secured promotion to the Hollywoodbets Super League in 2019 through the Sasol League National Championship. They lost the final to JVW in Tsakane, but as the top two finishers were guaranteed a spot in the elite women’s league.
At the time, they were captained by Banyana Banyana defender Lebohang Ramalepe, who was named Player of the Tournament – she now runs in the colours of current champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies after a stint in Europe.
In 2021, the Limpopo outfit finished eighth in the 14-team league, after 26 games. The following year they ended on the same position – but this time there were 16 clubs in the competition, and Ma-Indies were able to collect 47 points.
The signs were always there in this season’s campaign that they were heading for trouble.
They got off on a wrong footing – losing their opening match 2-0 at home against Royal AM, and were defeated in the six games that followed.
There seemed to be hope of a change of fortunes when they registered their first win in April – beating Eastern Cape’s Thunderbirds Ladies 1-0 – and this was followed by mixed results of another loss and a win, all in April.
Then it was downhill from there as Ma-Indies would go on to lose 13 matches in a row, and the signs of dropping down a division were more visible.
Their exit from the Hollywoodbets Super League was confirmed after they lost to City Lads Ladies on Saturday (14 October) and Thunderbirds won their game against Copperbelt Ladies.
Ma-Indies came into the match on eight points, needing to win and for Thunderbirds, who were on 17, to lose – but the opposite happened.
Their journey in the elite women’s league looks somewhat messy – after 27 games, the Limpopo side won only two matches and drew two, losing a disappointing 23.
They scored 17 goals in the process, and conceded 67 – the second-worst defence after the 15th placed Coal City Wizards who have let in 83 so far.
Their biggest defeat was administered by the newly-promoted University of Pretoria (Tuks Ladies) – 7-0.
They failed to score in 14 outings, losing 12 home games, and 13 away matches.
Ma-Indies will now be playing for pride in the remaining three fixtures where they will face TS Galaxy Queens, Tuks Ladies and will complete their assignment in the Hollywoodbets Super League against TUT on the 26th of November.
The battle for survival continues at the bottom of the table as to who will be relegated along with the Limpopo side – one between the quartet of Coal City Wizards (15th – 13 points), Thunderbirds (14th – points), Copperbelt Ladies (13th – 21 points) and City Lads (12th – 21 points).
Their replacements will be decided next week in Bloemfontein when the Sasol League National Championship play-offs take place from 17 – 22 October at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.
Nine provincial teams fight it out for the top two spots to gain promotion, and also one will be crowned Sasol League National Champions:
SASOL LEAGUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONHIP TEAMS:
- Sasol Juventus: Mpumalanga
- Croesus Ladies: Gauteng
- Royal Queens: Northwest
- Royal Wizards – Northern Cape
- University of Fort Hare (UFH) – Eastern Cape
- Lindelani Ladies: KZN
- UCT – Cape Town
- Ramatlaohle – Limpopo
- Ixias FC – Free State
MA-INDIES LADIES HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE RECORD THUS FAR:
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
| Ma-Indies Ladies | 27 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 17 | 67 | -50 | 8 |
MA-INDIES LADIES HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS THUS FAR:
| vs | Royal AM | 0 – 2 | Home | L | |
| vs | Sundowns Ladies | 3 – 1 | Away | L | |
| vs | JVW | 1 – 0 | H | L | |
| vs | Durban Ladies | 0 – 4 | A | L | |
| vs | Coal City Wizards | 3 – 2 | A | L | |
| vs | UWC | 0 – 5 | H | L | |
| vs | UJ Ladies | 5 – 1 | A | L | |
| vs | Thunderbirds Ladies | 1 – 0 | H | W | 1 April 23 |
| vs | Richmond United | 2 – 0 | A | L | |
| vs | City Lads Ladies | 3 – 0 | H | W | 22 April 23 |
| vs | First Touch Ladies | 1 – 2 | H | L | |
| vs | Copperbelt Ladies | 2 – 1 | A | L | |
| vs | TS Galaxy Queens | 0 – 4 | H | L | |
| vs | Tuks Ladies | 7 – 0 | A | L | |
| vs | TUT | 0 – 2 | H | L | |
| vs | Royal AM | 5 – 2 | A | L | |
| vs | Sundowns Ladies | 0 – 1 | H | L | |
| vs | Durban Ladies | 1 – 0 | A | L | |
| vs | Coal City Wizards | 1 – 3 | H | L | |
| vs | JVW | 0 – 3 | H | L | |
| vs | UWC | 1 – 0 | A | L | |
| vs | UJ Ladies | 0 – 1 | H | L | |
| vs | First Touch Ladies | 2 – 1 | A | L | |
| vs | Copperbelt Ladies | 1 – 1 | H | D | 24 Sep 23 |
| vs | Thunderbirds Ladies | 3 – 0 | A | L | |
| vs | Richmond United | 2 – 2 | H | D | 8 Oct 23 |
| vs | City Lads Ladies | 2 – 0 | A | L | |
By Matlhomola Morake
