Action returns in the Hollywoodbets Super League this weekend (Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 April) after the teams were on recess due to the FIFA break, which saw the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana travel to Serbia for an international friendly match.
The South Africans lost 2-3 (the visitors scored goals came from forwards Hilda Magaia, based in South Korea and Jermaine Seoposenwe who plays her league football in Mexico).
Of the 21 players selected by head coach Desiree Ellis for the national team, 16 ply their trade in the elite women’s league in South Africa – Sundowns Ladies, JVW, UWC, TS Galaxy, UJ and Tuks Ladies.
Six Hollywoodbets Super League fixtures will be played on Saturday, and all kick off at 15h00.
City Lads Ladies vs Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies:
The Brazilians, who are the defending champions, had four representatives in the Banyana Banyana squad. They will travel to the Eastern Cape to face City Lads Ladies at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha.
The two sides are meeting for the third time following the 2022 promotion of the Eastern Cape team into the elite women’s league.
City Lads will be hoping for a better outcome after suffering an 8-0 drubbing in the first round last year, followed by a 3-0 loss in the reverse fixture.
Both lost in their last assignments before the break, with City Lads going down to Richmond United.
It will be interesting to see if Sundowns Ladies will bounce back from a shock defeat to Royal AM in their previous match – which saw them relinquish their top spot to the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
“The season has not started well for us and dropping five points out of 24 is not what we expect as a team that prides itself on winning. Unfortunately, we have been hampered by injuries to some of our key strikers, including Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Miche Minnes, and Rhoda Mulaudzi, which has further compounded our struggles upfront. However, we are using the mini-break as an opportunity to regroup and work on improving the areas where we have fallen short so far. We’re confident that with hard work and focus, we can turn things around and get back on track to achieve our goals for the season,” Sundowns Ladies head coach Jerry Tshabalala told his club’s website during the FIFA break.
Richmond United vs Ma-Indies Ladies:
Limpopo’s Ma-Indies Ladies registered their first win in eight games this season – a result that took them off the foot of the table into 15th place.
They will be hoping to continue with that success, but they face Richmond United, a team that has not lost at home in all four fixtures this season.
The two clash at Merino Park in De Aar in the Northern Cape.
Royal AM vs JVW:
Royal AM and JVW will be eager to again collect three points when the two collide at the Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammersdale, KwaZulu Natal. Both sides come into this match at the back of hard-fought victories when they were last in action.
Royal AM have drawn all their three matches at home and will be hoping for a better outcome.
Thunderbirds Ladies vs First Touch:
Bottom of the table Thunderbirds Ladies haven’t won a match this season, with only two draws to their name. They are at home at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London and welcome First Touch of Limpopo who are equally struggling in 13th place with one win, two draws and five losses.
UJ Ladies vs Copperbelt Ladies:
Newcomers Copperbelt Ladies visit the fortress that is UJ Stadium in Soweto for a date with the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies).
The hosts are enjoying a good spell at home with five wins in as many matches, which has placed them on the third spot on the table after eight rounds of fixtures. While they are doing well in midtable for debutants, Copperbelt Ladies are not good travellers as they have lost three of their four away matches.
UWC vs TS Galaxy Queens:
Top of the table UWC will face a stiff test when they welcome a rejuvenated TS Galaxy Queens in the last match of the day, which could turn out to be a blockbuster.
The clash takes place at the UWC Stadium in Cape Town.
The home side has won all their seven games in the 2023 campaign, leaving them on 21 points, two ahead of the second-placed Sundowns Ladies.
TS Galaxy is on the fourth spot and will be keen to inflict the first loss on the high-riding Cape Town side in their first ever meeting.
UWC was the biggest supplier of Banyana Banyana players in the recent friendly against Serbia with six players selected.
University of Pretoria vs Coal City Wizards:
On Sunday, the TUT Pretoria Stadium will play host to a double header.
First in action at 11h30 will be newcomers Tuks Ladies who will entertain the visiting Coal City Wizards who are finding the going tough this season. The Mpumalanga side has suffered six losses, with a draw and one win each – leaving them in 14th place.
For debutants, Tuks Ladies are holding their own so far in the South African Premier Women’s League with three wins registered in eight games – one draw and four losses. They are ninth on the log standings.
TUT vs Durban Ladies:
The last match of Week 9 in the Hollywoodbets Super League sees the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) host Durban Ladies at 15h00.
The home team goes into this encounter with a great advantage of five wins in six previous games against their KwaZulu Natal opponents – with one match drawn.
Since the beginning of the elite women’s league, Durban Ladies is yet to defeat the Tshwane outfit.
Head to Head – TUT vs Durban Ladies:
2019
3-2 Oct, TUT
2020
6-1 Feb, TUT
2021
1-0 Aug, TUT
2021
0-0 Nov
2022
1-0 Jul, TUT
2022
6-0 Aug, TUT
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE WEEK 9 FIXTURES:
Saturday, 15 April 2023 – (all matches at 3pm)
City Lads Ladies vs Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies:
Isaac Wolfson Stadium
Gqeberha
Richmond United vs Ma-Indies Ladies:
Merino Park, De Aar
Northern Cape
Royal AM vs JVW:
Mpumalanga Stadium, Hammersdale
KwaZulu Natal
Thunderbirds Ladies vs First Touch:
Sisa Dukashe Stadium, East London
Eastern Cape
UJ Ladies vs Copperbelt Ladies:
UJ Stadium, Soweto
Johannesburg
UWC vs TS Galaxy Queens:
UWC Stadium
Cape Town
Sunday, 16 April 2023:
Tuks Ladies vs Coal City Wizards:
TUT Pretoria Stadium
Tshwane
11h30
(Live on SABC Sport Channel)
TUT vs Durban Ladies:
TUT Pretoria Stadium
Tshwane
15h00
(Live on SABC Sport Channel)
By Matlhomola Morake
