It’s the halfway mark of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season, and, already, wheat is being separated from chaff.
The group in the top half of the table have a mission to maintain positive results and not lose sight of the rest of the pack, while at the bottom, the challenge is different – escaping the axe. For others, the objective is the remain in top flight football.
After 14 matches each, as matters stand – although some may say it’s early days – four teams are fighting for survival: bottom-of-the-table Ma-Indies Ladies (6 pts); 15th-placed Coal City Wizards (7 pts); Thunderbirds Ladies (14th – 8 pts) and City Lads Ladies (13th – 8 pts).
As the 2023 season enters Week 15, all the four teams have a chance to start changing their fortunes as they will all be in action on Saturday (27 May 2023).
Thunderbirds Ladies vs Sundowns Ladies: 15h00
Thunderbirds Ladies seem to have the most difficult assignment as they welcome table-topping and reigning league champions, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London.
Since the start of the elite women’s league in the 2019/20 season, the Brazilians have been triumphant against the Eastern Cape on all six occasions – scoring 30 goals and conceding only one in the process.
And if recent form is anything to go by, Banyana ba Style could register their seventh victory in a row while Thunderbirds could suffer their fifth loss in succession.
Head to head Thunderbirds vs Sundowns Ladies:
2019/20
6-0, 6-0
2021
4-0, 5-0
2022
5-1, 4-0
Ma-Indies Ladies vs TUT: 15h00
In Giyani, Ma-Indies Ladies tackle the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) who seem to have found their rhythm after notching up back to back wins.
In four previous meetings, the Students have won three games with one drawn.
The Limpopo side is still reeling from the 7-0 drubbing at the hand of Tuks Ladies and will want to make amends when they face TUT.
City Lads Ladies vs Coal City Wizards: 15h00
The Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha will host the battle of the strugglers when City Lads Ladies entertain Coal City Wizards of Mpumalanga.
Both sides are separated by just one point in 13th and 15th positions respectively. After 14 rounds of matches, they have each won two games.
The hosts haven’t collected three points in nine outings, while the visitors lost four of their previous fixtures.
JVW vs UJ Ladies: 13h00
JVW and the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) suffered defeats last weekend, and both will be hoping for different outcomes when they face each other at the UJ Stadium in Soweto.
Both lost to title chasers UWC (2-0) and Sundowns Ladies (2-1) respectively.
UJ is going through a rough patch as they have not won a game in six games, while the Blue Diamonds had their four-match unbeaten run halted abruptly.
The two sides have met four times – with the visitors winning three matches and losing one.
Durban Ladies vs UWC: 13h00
Second-placed University of the Western Cape (UWC) will be at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium to take on Durban Ladies.
The Students will be looking to walk away with all three points as to keep pressure on the log leaders. Both sides come into this clash at the back of victories.
UWC is on 36 points, just one behind Sundowns Ladies.
Three games have been scheduled for Sunday (28 May 2023).
Richmond United vs Royal AM: 15h00
Fireworks are expected at the De Beers Stadium in Kimberly when Richmond United take on Royal AM – a team Edwin Lisene (current coach of Richmond United) used to lead before they changed their name and relocated to KwaZulu Natal.
So he knows most of the players – but his Northern Cape outfit has gone off the boil after an impressive start. They have lost their three previous games.
Royal AM are fourth on the table and will not want to relinquish that position easily.
Also on Sunday, the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane will host a double header.
Copperbelt Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens: 11h30
First up will be the battle of newcomers – Copperbelt Ladies hosting TS Galaxy Queens.
Both have so far done well in their first season in South Africa’s elite women’s football league.
The visitors from Mpumalanga are third on the log standings with the hosts in 10th position.
TS Galaxy has been the more impressive – they have not lost a match in their last 13 fixtures.
First Touch vs Tuks Ladies: 15h00
In the second clash of the day, new kids on the block Tuks Ladies will go toe to toe with First Touch Academy.
The two teams are in rich vein of form – the Tshwane outfit has won two of their last four matches, drawing the other two, while the Limpopo side has won three and shared points in one – holding the high-riding TS Galaxy Queens to a draw last weekend, bringing to a halt a seven-match winning streak for the Mpumalanga outfit.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE WEEK 15 FIXTURES:
SATURDAY, 27 MAY 2023
Durban Ladies vs UWC
Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium
Durban
13h00
JVW vs UJ Ladies
UJ Stadium
Soweto
13h00
City Lads Ladies vs Coal City Wizards
Isaac Wolfson Stadium
Gqeberha
15h00
Ma-Indies Ladies vs TUT
Giyani Stadium
Giyani
15h00
Thunderbirds Ladies vs Sundowns Ladies
Sisa Dukashe Stadium
East London
15h00
SUNDAY, 28 MAY 2023
Copperbelt Ladies vs TS Galaxy Queens
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
11h30
First Touch vs Tuks Ladies
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Polokwane
15h00
Richmond United vs Royal AM
De Beers Stadium
Kimberly
15h00
By Matlhomola Morake
