University of Pretoria (Amatuks Ladies) Head Coach Maud Khumalo has lamented the absence of influential forward Wendy Shongwe but says the team will soldier on.
Indications are that the Banyana Banyana striker will be out of action for the season following a knee injury last month (Saturday, 9 March 2024) where she was stretchered off.
Prior to that, Shongwe had helped her team come from behind in a 2-1 victory over newcomers the University of Fort Hare with two goals in the 18th and 41st minutes – but did not last long after the recess as she was replaced.
The incident happed in the second match of the 2024 Hollywoodbets Super League season, and she has since missed four matches.
“It really hurts to be in the stands or watching on television when the team plays – it is so so difficult, but it is what it, I just have to practice patience. I could sit here and cry about it or I can just focus on my recovery and getting back in the game. What keeps my spirit high is that the team is doing well, it would have been sad to see the team struggling and one can’t do anything about. Injuries are part of the game, it could have happened to anyone,” said Shongwe.
In their first season in the Hollywoodbets Super League, Amatuks surprised all and sundry and finished sixth.
In 2024 they are riding the crest of the wave as they sit in second position on the table – level on 15 points with log leaders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, but the students have an inferior goal difference.
After six rounds of fixtures, they have won five, lost one and are yet to draw.
They have accounted for the scalps of the University of Fort Hare, Lindelani Ladies, Richmond United, Thunderbirds Ladies and City Lads Ladies, but fell to Durban Ladies in the opening match of the season.
“Well, it’s not easy, but remember most of the time in the first round of the league teams are struggling, trying to find their feet and combinations, new players joining new teams – so as a team we need to take advantage of that you and then to see where you stand. The earlier you collect points the better and the lesser the stress you will have in the middle of the season. For me, it’s trying new players and see how they gel and looking at the results shows that our preparation was great in the pre-season,” said her coach at Amatuks, Maud Khumalo.
This coming weekend (Sunday, 21 April), Amatuks are hosting a stubborn Copperbelt Ladies – last season the two sides were promoted together to the Hollywoodbets Super League.
This will be their third meeting in the league – in 2024 they cancelled each other out with one victory each, Amatuks losing 2-1 in the first round but responding in a spectacular fashion in the second stretch with a dominant 7-0 victory.
Shongwe, who is only in her second season in the South African elite women’s football league with Amatuks, has been a revelation.
In 2022 she was playing in the Sasol League with the University of Pretoria, and in 2023 she featured on the world stage as she was the only uncapped player in the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana squad that participated at the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.
The 21-year-old was also the sole representative of Amatuks in the squad – and got to taste the global stage when she came on for Hilda Magaia in the famous and history-making 3-2 win over Italy in the third match of the tournament.
Shongwe also played against the Netherlands in the 2-0 lost in the Round of 16 after replacing Jermaine Seoposenwe.
The forward was part of the friendly internationals against the USA shortly after the World Cup, and last donned the national team jersey in the home and away qualifiers against DR Congo. She missed out on Burkina Faso, Tanzania and more recently the much talked about clash against Nigeria in the Olympic qualifiers due to a different injury.
She was also one of the nominees for the 2023 HOllywoodbets Player of the Season – battling it against stiff opposition in Boitumelo Rabale of Sundowns Ladies and Bongeka Gamede of the University of the Western Cape.
Shongwe is due for an ACL operation soon – and there is no indication as to when she will come back but will most likely miss out on the season.
“We are just waiting on her operation, that’s when we will know how long she’s out for, but before we can say a lot of things about her injury, or whether she’s going to come back next year and things like that, it’s only after the operation that we will know the extent of her injury,” added Khumalo.
With Shongwe out, this gives another player a chance to perhaps shine.
“Football is like that, you get a chance when another player gets a red card or an injury or something like that, so it’s a chance for other players to showcase that they can fill up the position when Wendy is not there,” concluded Khumalo.
“It’s very unfortunate that we lost her, but the team needs to carry on and work as a unit and hopefully she won’t be too long out on the sidelines.”
By Matlhomola Morake
