TS Galaxy will campaign in the 2023 season of the Hollywoodbets Super League after acquiring the status of Cape Town’s Vasco da Gama.
The Mpumalanga side, will now be known as TS Galaxy Queens – and join Mamelodi Sundowns and Royal AM as the only DStv Premiership clubs with a women’s team playing in the elite South African women’s league.
After winning the Sasol League in Mpumalanga, TS Galaxy’s attempts to gain promotion into the Hollywoodbets Super League was thwarted in 2021 and 2022 as they lost out in the Sasol League National Champs in Durban and Limpopo respectively.
The announcement was made via their social media pages.
“TS Galaxy Football Club is delighted to announce that it has acquired the Premier Division status of Vasco Da Gama to campaign in the Hollywoodbets Super League. The Rockets ladies Hollywoodbets side will trade under the name TS GALAXY QUEENS.”
The move leaves the Western Cape with only one team in the South African Premier Women’s League – the University of the Western Cape (UWC), who finished in second place last season.
But for TS Galaxy and the Mpumalanga province, it was joy all the way, with their Queens president Duduzile Sukazi saying:
“I’m over the moon about this move. It is a dream come true for the club. We are a Club that is unapologetic in its stance towards the advancement of the football game amongst women of this country. It has been a critical part of our agenda to have our lady’s side competing in the elite league just like the men’s side. Our ladies performed with outstanding honour at the regional level, but unfortunately, that pursuit was unsuccessful in the national playoffs for two seasons on the trot. We were left with no choice but to make other means of securing Hollywoodbets status, and we’ve just done exactly that.”
- Vasco da Gama played only one season in the Hollywoodbets Super League after being crowned champions of the Sasol League National Champs in 2021
- They finished the 2022 season in 14th place
- In 30 matches, the Cape side won only six, drew four and lost 20 – ending on 22 points, just nine ahead of 15th placed and relegated Golden Ladies
- In the 2021 Sasol League National Champs in Durban, Vasco’s Miche Minnies was the top goal scorer in the competition and walked away with the Player of the Tournament award – she was then snapped by Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies where she finished the season second to Boitumelo Rabale in the scoring charts
- Jessica Williams of Vasco was also named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament
The Rockets Ladies team will use the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in KwaNdebele, Mpumalanga as their home base.
And they become the second team in the province campaigning in the Hollywoodbets Super League after Coal City Wizards, who are based in Witbank.
TS Galaxy Queens is the third new team in the Hollywoodbets Super League for the 2023 season, joining Copperbelt Ladies of Limpopo – winners of the 2022 Sasol League National Champs – and runners-up, Tuks Ladies.
By Matlhomola Morake
