The Hollywoodbets Super League clash between First Touch Ladies and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) scheduled for Sunday, 13 April 2025 at the Seshego Stadium was called off without a ball being kicked.
CentreCircle.online understands that the Capetonians were at the match venue but the fixture did not go ahead as planned, and details are still sketchy about what transpired.
This does not paint a good picture for women’s football and comes at a time when the league has resumed normal schedule where all team will be in action, instead of the fragmented start that had only two matches played per weekend.
It will be interesting to see how SAFA, who are waiting for a report from the fixture, react to the latest saga. This was the only match set for Sunday.
On Saturday (12 April 2025), Hollywoodbets Super League newcomers, Ezemvelo Ladies, registered their first win of the season when they defeated Limpopo’s Copperbelt Ladies 2-0 in Polokwane.
This was their maiden victory in three outings in the South African elite women’s football league after back-to-back defeats. Anele Douglas & Amanda Mkhize grabbed the goals for the visitors.
In the Mother City, recently signed midfielder Isabella Ludwig made it a debut to remember as she gave her new employers Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies the lead against new kids on the block the University of Cape Town (UCT) with a sixth minute strike. Boitumelo Rabale increased the advantage two minutes later at the Kopano Astro Turf for a 2-0 win as the defending champions made it three victories in three matches.
The Brazilians are second on the table on nine points, level with log leaders the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) who have a superior goal difference – Sundowns Ladies have a game in hand.
The match also saw the return of key players Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Dhlamini who were introduced late in the game following a long layoff from injury.
TS Galaxy Queens were the biggest winners of the weekend as they thumped Royal AM 5-0 at the Kanyamazane Stadium in Mpumalanga.
Two goals each by Gontse Homba and Nicole Michael as well as one strike by Sibahle Maneli were enough to hand the Rockets a win, while the KwaZulu Natal side suffered defeat in their first match of the season.
There was a five goal thriller at the Tuks Main Stadium in the Varsity Derby where the visiting University of Fort Hare (UFH) tasted their first loss in four outings, going down 3-2 to the University of Pretoria (Tuks).
The home side took a three-nil lead through Zanile Khoza (33’), Mamokena Menoe (35’) and S’bahle Ndlovu (51’) and it all looked downhill for the visitors.
With their never-say-die attitude, the Eastern Cape outfit clawed their way back into the match but could only manage two goals before running out of time. Keish Hendricks and Nosikho Magqaza came off the bench and rattled the net for UFH to bring some respectability to the scoreline.
TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies registered a famous win when they beat JVW 1-0 with a goal in referee’s optional time – only their second success over the opposition in nine outings, three games were drawn.
Second half substitute Khutso Magano delivered the sucker punch in an almost evenly contested game where the visitors had chances to score but squandered them.
This was TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies’ first win in four games following two defeats and a draw, while the disappointed Blue Diamonds suffered their second loss in four matches.
Durban Ladies launched a new logo for their club in the days leading to their clash against City Lads Ladies but the visitors cut short the celebrations with a 1-0 triumph at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont, KwaZulu Natal.
Nasiphi Ntatyana (29′) scored the solitary goal of the match in the first half – earning their second victory in three outings., with one game lost.
The struggle continues for Durban Ladies as they succumbed to their second defeat in as many matches.
HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS:
Sunday, 13 April 2025:
- First Touch Ladies P-P UWC
Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
Saturday, 12 April 2025:
- Copperbelt Ladies 0 – 2 Ezemvelo Ladies
Seshego Stadium, Polokwane
- TS Galaxy Queens 5 – 0 Royal AM
Kanyamazane Stadium, Mpumalanga
- UCT 0 – 2 Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
Kopano Astro, Cape Town
- TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies 1 – 0 JVW
TUT Main Campus, Tshwane
- Durban Ladies 0 – 1 City Lads
Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium, Clermont
- University of Pretoria 3 – 2 University of Fort Hare
Tuks Main Stadium, Tshwane
By Matlhomola Morake
