Reigning Hollywoodbets Super League champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have moved quickly to bolster their side ahead of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers 2023.
CentreCircle.online has learnt that the Brazilians have acquired the signature of the highly rated defensive midfielder, Kholosa “Fox” Biyana, formerly with the University of the Western Cape (UWC) as well as Richmond United captain and defender Malebogo “Katsande” Shawe.
The move comes after Banyana ba Style lost the services of experienced defender Bambanani Mbane due to injury, and indications are that she will not kick a ball this year as she recuperates.
Juice, as she is fondly known to her teammates, suffered the injury when the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana lost 2-0 to the Netherlands in a Round of 16 clash at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup held recently in Australia and New Zealand.
Mbane played in all four national team matches before her setback in the first half and she was named as one of the best performing players in the tournament in a FIFA report.
Biyana, who was also in the Banyana Banyana squad at the World Cup, joined the Brazilians after taking some time off following a long camp with the national team. She was not part of the UWC squad that faced UJ on Saturday (26 August 2023) in the Hollywoodbets Super League, and did not travel with Banyana ba Style to Polokwane as she only arrived in Johannesburg on Thursday (24 August 2023). The Eastern Cape-born player was once on the books of Sporting Gijon in Spain before joining the Capetonians, who thanked her for her services.
She will be a huge loss to the coastal side that is aiming for their maiden league title after finishing second last season. Coach Thinasonke Mbuli’s side currently occupies the same position on the log after 18 matches – they are on 48 points, two behind the log leaders Sundowns Ladies.
In an emotional message on their Facebook page, the Northern Cape outfit, who are eighth on the table after 19 outings, bid farewell to their captain.
“We bid farewell to Malebogo ” Katsande” Shawe. We thank you for all the memories and the glory you brought to the club, and we pray for your success in your future endeavours,” said the message.
The two new signings are expected to depart with the Brazilians to Durban for the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers 2023 on Monday, 28 August – with the tournament kicking off two days later and will run until 8 September.
The competition will feature the best women’s teams from the Southern Africa region.
2022 champions Green Buffaloes of Zambia are back to defend their title and will face Double Action (Botswana), debutantes Ntopwa FC (Malawi) and Lesotho Defence Force in Group A, while in Group B Sundowns Ladies is up against Olympic de Moroni (Comoros), Costa do Sol (Mozambique) and Young Buffaloes (Eswatini).
The matches will be played at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont, as well as at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu.
The top two teams in their group will advance to the semi-finals, and only the tournament winner will qualify for the continental competition, scheduled to be held in the Ivory Coast from 5-19 November.
Sundowns Ladies won the inaugural COSAFA event in 2021 and went on to be crowned queens of the continent in Egypt.
But last year Buffaloes turned the tables on them and claimed the regional trophy. After qualifying as the defending champions, the Brazilians suffered a further setback when they were dethroned as continental champions by AS FAR of Morocco.
Jerry Tshabalala, Head Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, will be hoping the two new signings will give his side the extra boost needed to return to the helm of Queens of Africa at club level.
By Matlhomola Morake
