Two Varsity Derbies headline Week 11 of the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League this weekend, with Cape Town and Tshwane hosting the matches on Sunday, 5 May 2024.
Fresh from a narrow 1-nil defeat to the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in another Varsity Derby in a midweek clash, the University of Pretoria will be hoping to return to winning ways when they host the high-riding second-placed University of Johannesburg.
The clash takes place at the University of Pretoria in Tshwane at 15h00.
Prior to this loss, Amatuks were in position two on the log standings following a seven-match winning run.
Now lying on the third spot, Maud Khumalo’s charges will be looking to regain their place with positive results against UJ Ladies, led by Nthabeleng ‘Dunga’ Modiko – both are former Banyana Banyana players – and separated by just one point with the Johannesburg outfit on 22 points while the Tshwane side is on 21.
The Orange Army is unbeaten in three games.
With Amatuks only in their second season in the South African elite women’s football league, this will be the third meeting between the two sides.
The hosts have an upper hand after collecting maximum points in their last clash in the 2023 campaign, while the other fixture ended in a two-all draw.
At the UWC Stadium in the Mother City, the Blues will welcome TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies in the other Varsity Derby also at 15h00.
Both sides come into this encounter following midweek wins.
There have been eight matches between the two teams since the start of the women’s league back in the 2019/20 season, with TUT dominating the encounters over the years.
The Tshwane side has won three, lost two while three other games were drawn. The clashes have been fiercely and closely contested, with all but one producing goals.
It was only last season that UWC gained the upper hand winning both rounds 1-0 and 3-1.
The Capetonians are currently the team on form with four wins in a row, while TUT has been blowing hot and cold.
After nine games played by both sides – UWC has 20 points and lies in position four while TUT is five points adrift in position seven.
HEAD-TO-HEAD – UWC VS TUT:
Oct 2019:
- 3 – 2 TUT
February 2020:
- 2 – 2
April 2021:
- 2 – 2
August 2021:
- 2 – 0 TUT
May 2022:
- 3 – 1 TUT
August 2022:
- 0 – 0
April 2023:
- 1 – 0 UWC
September 2023:
- 3 – 1 UWC
Bottom of the table Thunderbirds Ladies are still in search of their first point in 2024 and will be eager to turn their fortunes around – they have lost all nine games since the start of the season.
The Eastern Cape outfit hosts Durban Ladies at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Bisho at 13h00.
Once the pride of KwaZulu Natal, the visitors are also struggling and find themselves three spots from the basement of the table at the back of six straight losses.
After being caught in the euphoria of winning their opening match of the season, newcomers Lindelani Ladies have found the going tough in the Hollywoodbets Super League – a win, a draw and seven defeats in nine outings.
The KwaZulu Natal team entertain Eastern Cape’s City Lads Ladies who suffered a heavy 7-1 loss to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in midweek action. This will be their first ever meeting.
Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban will host the encounter at 15h00.
Lindelani Ladies, who lost 3-nil in their last match, is second from bottom while the Gunners are 13th.
The other new kids on the block, the University of Fort Hare, notched up their third win of the season with a convincing 5-nil against Thunderbirds Ladies on Wednesday (1 May) and will be hoping to continue where they left off when they take on the visiting Richmond United at the Davidson Stadium in Alice at 15h00.
The Northern Cape outfit is a stubborn customer and come into this match high on confidence after a 3-nil win in their previous game.
Fort Hare has amassed 10 points and are 12th on the table, while Richmond is four spots ahead on 15 points.
A mid-table clash will ensue at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium when First Touch Ladies welcome Royal AM at 15h00.
The home team narrowly lost with a last-gasp goal against TS Galaxy Queens while the team from KwaZulu Natal celebrated a point against JVW on Wednesday.
First Touch has 12 points after 10 rounds of fixtures and is in position 10 – Royal AM is one spot below and a point adrift after nine games.
On Saturday, 4 May 2024, the UJ Soccer Stadium in Soweto will play host to one of the highlight matches of the weekend.
This will be when the fourth-placed JVW hosts Sundowns Ladies in a late kickoff at 17h30.
Since gaining promotion into the Hollywoodbets Super League in 2019, but only featuring in the competition in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Blue Diamonds have failed to shine against reigning champions.
They have played each other six times with only one match drawn – ironically that was in their first meeting.
Since then, Banyana Ba Style have dominated this fixture with five straight wins – the last clash in 2023 ended in a heavy 6-1 defeat for the Blue Diamonds.
The top of the table Brazilians have collected 24 points in nine games, leading the second-placed Amatuks by two points and will not want to change the status quo.
After their only loss this season in March, Sundowns Ladies have been on fire in a five-match winning streak, brushing aside anyone in their path with high-score margins: (5-1 vs Durban Ladies, 7-0 vs Lindelani Ladies, 5-0 vs Richmond United, 5-1 vs Thunderbirds Ladies and 7-1 vs City Lads Ladies).
Their defence has only been breached three times, while the Brazilians have managed 29 goals in the five games.
The last five fixtures of 2024 have seen JVW win three with two drawn and will have to be at their best – especially their defence – to stop the runaway train of Sundowns Ladies. The Blue Diamonds fired blanks as they laboured to a goalless draw against Royal AM in their last encounter – a match they should have won had they been composed in front of goals.
HEAD-TO-HEAD – JVW VS SUNDOWNS LADIES:
June 2021:
- 2 – 2
November 2021:
- 2 – 1 Sundowns Ladies
June 2022:
- 4 – 2 Sundowns Ladies
October 2022:
- 2 – 0 Sundowns Ladies
April 2023:
- 3 – 2 Sundowns Ladies
October 2023:
- 6 – 1 Sundowns Ladies
In the other Saturday fixture, the return of head coach Sizwe Sibiya to TS Galaxy Queens has seen them win two matches in succession – narrowly escaping with all three points in their last fixture against First Touch Ladies after a 90th minute goal from Nomvula Kgoale to win 2-1.
The Rockets are back in Limpopo for their third match on the road – this time they face a stubborn Copperbelt Ladies at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium at 15h00.
The home side is still smarting from a 1-nil loss to UJ Ladies in midweek action.
The visitors are in fifth place on the table with six victories and three losses in nine encounters. They have collected 18 points – six ahead of their opponents who are lying just outside the top eight bracket on the ninth spot after three wins, three draws and four defeats.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES: WEEK 11
Saturday, 4 May April 2024
Copperbelt Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
15h00
JVW vs Sundowns Ladies
UJ Soccer Stadium
Soweto
17h30
Sunday, 5 May April 2024
Thunderbirds Ladies vs Durban Ladies
Sisa Dukashe Stadium
Bisho
13h00
Lindelani Ladies vs City Lads Ladies
Princess Magogo Stadium
Durban
15h00
University of Fort Hare vs Richmond United
Davidson Stadium
Alice
15h00
First Touch Ladies vs Royal AM
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
15h00
University of the Western Cape vs TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies
UWC Stadium
Cape Town
15h00
University of Pretoria vs University of Johannesburg
University of Pretoria Stadium
Tshwane
15h00
By Matlhomola Morake
