The first round of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League is done and dusted and competition is heading towards the home straight as they enter Week 16.
A quick look at the stats indicate that it was not an easy ride for most teams, and the road ahead will be bumpier as they jostle for top positions in an attempt to try and avoid relegation on the other hand.
The winners of the league are guaranteed a place in the regional COSAFA CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier, with the victors booking their spot at the prestigious CAF Women’s Champions League.
Defending champions in South Africa’s elite women’s league, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, have been to the competition twice before – lifting the inaugural in 2021, but fell in the final last year to Morocco’s AS FAR.
At the bottom, two sides will be relegated from the Hollywoodbets Super League with two clubs promoted from the Sasol League.
Last season, Golden Ladies (North West) and Tsunami Queens (Free State) suffered the pain of dropping to the lower level as they became the first teams in the history of elite women’s football to be relegated from the Hollywoodbets Super League.
So the stakes are very high on both ends of the table.
Eight matches are on offer this weekend with four scheduled for Saturday (3 June 2023).
UWC vs Coal City Wizards: 15h00
(First round: Coal City Wizards 1 – 9 UWC)
Log leaders University of the Western Cape (UWC) will be eager maintain the status quo when they host the struggling Coal City Wizards at the UWC Stadium.
The Capetonians are on 39 points, and cannot afford to slip up with Sundowns Ladies breathing down their necks one point behind.
In the corresponding fixture in February this year, Thinasonke Mbuli’s outfit came out victorious in a dominant 9-1 win away in the first match of the season.
Richmond United vs Sundowns Ladies: 15h00
(First Round: Sundowns Ladies 1 – 0 Richmond United)
The Brazilians are away at the Sol Plaatjie Stadium in Kimberly to Richmond United who ended the first round on a disappointing note with three losses and a draw, after a positive start in the 2023 campaign.
The Northern Cape side lost 1-0 to Sundowns Ladies in the reverse fixture, and the visitors will want all three points to keep the pressure on the table-topping UWC.
UJ Ladies vs Durban Ladies: 15h00
(First round: Durban Ladies 0 – 2 UJ Ladies)
The University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) closed off the first round in a manner they would not be proud of – they managed two wins in 10 games, losing six and drawing two.
The Students will be eager to turn things around when they welcome Durban Ladies at the UJ Stadium in Soweto – more so because in the previous round, the two teams met in the opening match of the season, with UJ winning 2-0.
Royal AM vs Ma-Indies Ladies: 15h00
(First round: Ma-Indies Ladies 0 – 2 Royal AM)
KwaZulu Natal’s Royal AM got off to a flyer against Ma-Indies Ladies in the season’s opening fixture in a 2-0 triumph in February – the latter went on to lose five more matches, which contributed to them being currently at the bottom of the table.
The two sides meet again at the Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammersdale as the second round gets underway, and Royal AM, who are fifth on the table, will be expecting maximum points to remain where they are, or even improve.
Four other matches will be played on Sunday (4 June 2023).
Tuks Ladies vs Copperbelt Ladies: 15h00
(First round: Copperbelt Ladies 2 – 1 Tuks Ladies)
The battle of the newcomers will take centre stage when the University of Pretoria (Tuks Ladies) entertain Copperbelt Ladies – both are campaigning in the Hollywoodbets Super League after gaining promotion from the Sasol League at the end of last season.
In the play-offs in December, the Limpopo side won against the Students, and the dominance continued in the elite league in a 2-1 win earlier in the season.
TS Galaxy Queens vs City Lads Ladies: 15h00
(First round: City Lads Ladies 1 – 0 TS Galaxy)
Newcomers TS Galaxy Queens have suffered only one defeat in the current campaign – that was at the hands of Eastern Cape’s City Lads Ladies, handing them a baptism of fire in the elite women’s league.
But a lost has changed since that 1-0 loss.
The high-riding Rockets (3rd) are now challenging for the title while City Lads (13th) are more worried about moving away from the relegation zone. The two face off at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in Mpumalanga.
Thunderbirds Ladies vs JVW: 13h00
(First round: JVW 1 – 1 Thunderbirds Ladies)
JVW are away to East London to tackle Thunderbirds Ladies, and the visitors will do well to tread carefully after the hosts held Sundowns Ladies in a shock result last weekend – especially because in the reverse fixture, both the Blue Diamonds and Thunderbirds could not be separated after a 1-all draw in Johannesburg.
The fourth-placed JVW will be hoping for maximum points to keep within touching distance of the leading pack, while the home team is not comfortable in 14th place and will throw everything at the visitors to improve their position.
TUT vs First Touch: 11h30
(First round: First Touch 0 – 0 TUT)
The rejuvenated Tshwane University of Pretoria (TUT) will be hoping they can continue with their winning momentum after registering three wins in a row – this after a bad run of form where they could not gain victory in eight outings.
TUT is up against First Touch who are blowing hot and cold this season.
In the first round, both sides played to a goalless draw, and this time will meet at the University of Pretoria as one of double header matches.
They are 10th and 12th respectively on the log standings.
By Matlhomola Morake
