Banyana Banyana forward Seoposenwe is an over achiever and has done almost everything there is to be done in the game – U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup (2010), FIFA Women’s World Cup (2019, 2023), Olympic Games (2016), WAFCON winner (2022); several COSAFA Cup gold medals under her name and is also playing abroad.
The Capetonian was recently nominated in the 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year category, competing against, among others, compatriot Thembi Kgatlana, Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, as well as the Chawinga pair of Tabitha and Temwa from Malawi.
The CAF Awards 2024 will be held on 16 December 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco.
For now, the nomination may be far from her mind as she is in a celebratory mood.
A week ago Seoposenwe became a double champion in Mexico after winning both the Clausura and the Apertura in one season – an unprecedented achievement for the club. She is also the first South African to do so in the Liga MX Femenil.
What perhaps makes it special is that they defeated bitter rivals, Thembi Kgatlana’s UANL Tigres in the final – but even more special is that they came back from 3-0 down to level the scores and win on penalties.
This was history in the making, and it was no surprise that let everyone know.
“Two time. Back-to-back! Forever in the history books,” she said in one of her social media posts.
This was the seventh Regia Classico in the Liga MX Femenil, with Tigres in the hunt for their seventh league title while Rayadas were in search of an historic back-to-back championship.
But it was the latter that triumphed on the night as they sealed the Apertura 2024 – earlier in the year they scooped the Clausura 2024 when they beat Club America 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 all stalemate.
In the recent achievement, hosts Tigres took a 1-nil lead in the first leg of Apertura 2024, and all indications were that they were going to defend their advantage in the return fixture. And everything seemed to be going according to plan when they netted two goals to make it 3-0 on aggregate with 45 minutes to go in the final.
But it was a determined Rayadas that stole the show with three goals – 51’ 55’ 97’ – to take the game to the dreaded penalty shootout.
Monterrey emerged victorious 4-3 on penalties at a packed Estadio BBVA to send the home crowd into a state of delirium.
It was also a fitting final where number one (Rayadas) faced second place (Tigres).
“Just over 50 000 People! A great spectacle of women’s football on display for the world to see!! And I’m a two time back to back champion!! Mexico is the best place to be playing football,” said posted Seoposenwe.
Following the disappointment of missing out on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games when Banyana Banyana lost to Nigeria in April, Seoposenwe knuckled down at club level and did not come out for national team friendly matches against Senegal, England and Denmark. The results are now showing and she is a league champion in one of the most exciting women’s football leagues in the world.
This season alone, she has scored four goals for her club with several assists.
Head coach of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Desiree Ellis, will be hoping Seoposenwe brings her form to the next national team assignment in February and April when they play the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Cape Town-born forward has already played 102 times for her country and could have been far had she not spent two years on the sidelines due to Visa challenges.
But since then, she has been ever-present and helped Banyana Banyana to their maiden WAFCON title in 2022, in the process securing a spot at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to that, it was her goal in Equatorial Guinea that saw the South African Senior Women’s National team, under the tutelage of Vera Pauw, qualify for the 2016 Olympics.
And she also played a pivotal role in Banyana Banyana playing at their first FIFA World Cup tournament held in France.
Seoposenwe has come a long way, with a career that started at Santos Ladies in Cape Town, before moving to the University of the Western Cape.
She signed her first professional contract in Lithuania, running out in the colours of Gintra Universitetas. In her next move she was on the books of Real Betis in Spain before winning the league and cup competition in Portugal with Sporting Braga. Her foray into the Mexican league started at FC Juarez where she also registered a piece of history – netting a goal in the eight minute – recorded as the fastest goal in the Liga MX Femenil.
By Matlhomola Morake
