Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and City Lads Ladies won the bragging in their respective derbies on Week 6 of the Hollywoodbets Super League on Saturday (18 March 2023).
At the Groenkloof Stadium in Pretoria, the Brazilians needed a 74th minute penalty by Boitumelo Rabale to win the Tshwane Derby 1-0, and maintain their one-point lead at the top of the standings.
The match also saw the unveiling of Banyana Banyana defender Lebogang Ramalepe, who has just been signed by the defending league champions after her three-year stint in Belarus with FC Dinamo Minsk, which she left in December last year.
In the Eastern Cape Derby in East London, the City Lads Ladies were ruthless on the road, emerging 4-0 winners against the struggling hosts, Thunderbirds Ladies at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium.
This was their highest score this season, and the win sees the visitors jump into the top 10 of the league table.
The home side is left rooted second-from-bottom on the log standings, with just two draws and no win in six matches.
In the earlier Saturday fixture, the University of Johannesburg (UJ Ladies) returned home empty-handed from their long travel to the Northern Cape after suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Richmond United.
The clash took place at Merino Park in De Aar.
The loss put the brakes on the students’ two match winning streak where they scored 10 goals – however, they remain third on the table with 12 points.
Richmond United is fifth, three points behind.
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) were the big winners this weekend after delivering another heavy blow to the already suffering Ma-Indies.
The Capetonians won 5-0 away – their fifth win in a row, and become the only team to have won all their matches since the start of the season.
As for Ma-Indies, this was their sixth loss in as many matches, leaving them bottom-of-the-table with no points.
UWC led 2-0 at half time courtesy of Fiona Ndlovu and Tiffany Kortjie’s goals.
In the second period, the Blues increased the score line through a brace by Khanya Xesi and second-of-the-day for Ndlovu – the latter has now scored in all five games since the beginning of the season, and sits on nine goals as the top goal scorer.
Thanks to her, the coastal side netted more goals in the current campaign – 23 in total.
At Wits Sturrock Park in Johannesburg, JVW and the visiting TS Galaxy Queens played to an entertaining 1-1 draw.
The Mpumalanga outfit had in their line-up former players of the Blue Diamonds, the likes of Yolula Tsawe, Erin Herz, Mamello Makhabane and Nompumelelo Nyandeni, which made the match-up even more interesting.
The score line could have been very different had both sides converted their chances in an encounter that was swinging from end to end.
The home side missed a first half penalty through Gabby Salgado whose powerful shot was saved by Tsawe.
Busisiwe Ndimeni then struck in the 63rd minute to give the Rockets the lead.
But four minutes from full time, JVW restored parity after visitors were adjudged to have handled in the box, handing the Blue Diamonds their second penalty in the match.
Substitute Lerato Makhanya made no mistake from 12 yards to share the spoils with TS Galaxy.
In the last fixture of the day in Polokwane, First Touch Academy proved too strong for Coal City Wizards, condemning them to their fourth defeat in the league.
The Limpopo side won 3-1, leaving Coal City in deep trouble in position 14 on the table on four points – just two above 15th placed Thunderbirds.
On Sunday Durban Ladies also registered the same result – beating visiting newcomers, Copperbelt Ladies 3-1.
This was the home side’s fourth win in six matches, which pushes them up to fourth spot on the table with 12 points, while Copperbelt Ladies suffered their fourth loss of the 2023 campaign – but have two wins in their name.
The match was part of a double header at Chatsworth Stadium, which also involved Royal AM and the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
The two sides could not be separated after playing to a goalless draw (0-0).
By Matlhomola Morake
