After spending just one season with TS Galaxy Queens, Nompumelelo Nyandeni has returned to the Blue Diamond.
The midfielder left the Bedfordview-based side early in 2023 to join the Mpumalanga outfit which was making its first appearance in the Hollywoodbets Super League after acquiring the status of Western Cape’s Vasco da Gama.
At the time, Nyandeni had said the aim was to finish off her career in her home province.
But she returns to a team where she is no stranger, a club she served for eight years with distinction – six of those years she wore the captain’s armband.
The 36-year-old was instrumental in the promotion of the Blue Diamonds to the Hollywoodbets Super League in 2019 after defeating Limpopo’s Ma-Indies Ladies in the final of the Sasol League National Championships in Tsakane.
During her time with JVW, Nyandeni walked away with the league’s Top Goal Scorer Award in two successive years – in 2021 she shared the accolade with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ forward, Andisiwe Mgcoyi, while the following season she was the outright winner with 30 goals to her name.
She leaves TS Galaxy Queens after helping them to a fourth-place finish in 2023, just behind JVW who ended third on the table.
“It is with great sadness to announce my departure from TS Galaxy Ladies FC. Thank you for the wonderful memories I have made with the players, Thank you for the support from the technical team as well and the opportunity from the Chairman and Chairlady of the Club. I will always cherish my time at the club and I wish the club all the best this season,” said Nyandeni in a Facebook post
At the Rockets, Nyandeni worked alongside coach Jabulile Baloyi initially, before Sizwe Sibiya took over during the season.
Just recently, Capetonian Ashraf Calvert has been placed in charge and played three games in the new season – winning three and losing one (5-3 vs Sundowns Ladies).
JVW on the hand got off on a shaky start in 2024 with two losses, before making it third time lucky to beat bitter rivals the University of the Western Cape 1-0 in their last fixture.
Nyandeni is expected to hit the ground running and could feature against newcomers University of Fort Hare on Sunday, 24 March at the UJ Stadium in Soweto.
With JVW adding new playing personnel to the team both in 2023 and 2024, the arrival of Nyandeni is almost certain creative an even bigger competitive edge in the team.
The experienced striker also played club football abroad in Russia, running out in the colours of WFC Rossiyanka, whom she also represented in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, before an injury forced her to return home.
Mbuzi, as she is referred to by her peers, was the youngest player to feature for the Senior team and to date has 149 caps for the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana and was part of the national team at the London 2012, under coach Joseph Mkhonza and Rio 2016 Olympic Games with Dutch native Vera Pauw.
By Matlhomola Morake
