Former Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou is two matches away from gaining promotion with Cacereño Femenino from Segundo Division to Liga F Division (Women’s Premier League) in Spain.
The Limpopo-born player found the back of the net in the last minute of extra time in the second leg to hand her side a 2-1 (4-3) aggregate victory over favourites and a tough Deportivo Alaves
The two outfits played to a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture a week ago.
After a goalless first half, Alaves took the lead in the 67th minute before Maria Macias restored parity four minutes from the final whistle taking the match into extra-time.
Cacereño won a penalty in the 98th minute but Natalia Montilla’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Laura Martínez in the Alaves goal.
With the encounter heading to the dreaded penalty shootout, up stepped the 2008 CAF Women Player of the Year and pounced in the last minute of the match, giving her side safe passage to the final.
“It was a crazy match and were on top of them as they were already tired in extra time. They were defending with everything they had because they wanted the match to go penalties, but we fought until we got our goal – a very crucial strike. They made a huge mistake of defending too deep, inviting us to come to them. I must applaud the entire team for the fighting spirit because we were all very tense, but we had the belief,” said an excited Matlou from Spain.
Cacereño will now face another difficult side, DUX Logrono in the two-legged final starting this coming weekend (18 May 2025), with Matlou’s side hosting the first leg.
The last match will be played a week later (24/25 May 2025) with the overall winner will gain promotion to Liga F Division.
“We are playing another tough match – but after the victory against Alaves the mood in the camp is very high and we will do everything in our power to get this promotion. We are very close to let it slip. We are playing them at home first then we will be away in the second and final leg. This is perhaps one of the most important weeks for this club as we are in the final of the play-offs for first time, so it means a lot. We are going there to fight with everything we have,” added Matlou.
Dux Logrono finished fourth on the table in the regular season, just one spot above Cacereño who were fifth. Their last meeting was in the final match of the 2025 campaign, with Matlou’s side emerging triumphant 1-0.
By Matlhomola Morake
