Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies head coach Godfrey Sapula says he has been humbled by winning the 2025 Hollywoodbets Super League title, with two games to spare.
They lifted the trophy without kicking a ball (Wednesday, 19 November) after their opponents, City Lads Ladies from Gqeberha, failed to arrive.
This season the defending champions were pushed to the limit by the likes of the University of Fort Hare, JVW and TS Galaxy Queens but Sundowns Ladies stood their ground.
Although he was with Banyana ba Style towards the end of the 2024 campaign, Sapula took over the reins at the beginning of this season and has not put a foot wrong, winning his first league title in the Women’s league.
“It means a lot. As a coach, these moments validate the work you put in behind the scenes. Personally, it’s a humbling achievement because it reflects the trust the club have in me in leading this bunch of wonderful and talented players,” said Sapula in an exclusive interview with CentreCircle.online.
The Brazilians have now won a record six titles – no other team has lifted the trophy since the start of the South African elite women’s football league in the 2019/2020 season.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates midfield maestro says they felt the pressure but focused on themselves.
“There was definitely pressure because this is a team with a winning culture and big expectations,” said Sapula.
“We focused on ourselves. We respected every opponent, but we didn’t get distracted by the table or the noise outside. The message to the players was always about controlling what we can control, taking it one game at a time, and maintaining professionalism and consistency irrespective of who was leading at any point.”
Although not as smooth-sailing as the previous years, the dominance of Banyana ba Style showed again this season as they did not concede in the first 11 games of the campaign and scored 34 goals during that period.
They have lost two games this season – a 2-1 defeat to JVW, and another on a technicality, when they were said to have arrived late for a match against Royal AM in Durban, with SAFA awarding the points to the home team.
Since their goalless draw against the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in August, Banyana ba Style have won their last 14 fixtures, and did not conceded in the last six – scoring 23 goals in the process.
As per the current log standings, they are still left with two games – vs TS Galaxy Queens, as well as the outstanding outcome against Ezemvelo Ladies, a match that was not played earlier this month (Wednesday, 5 November) at the Mpumalanga Stadium in KwaZulu Natal despite the Brazilians travelling to the venue.
Sapula spoke to CentreCircle.online to reflect on winning the league title and look into the future.
Congratulations are in order for winning the league title – what kind of feeling is going through your head regarding this big achievement?
Thank you. It’s an incredible feeling a mix of pride and gratitude. Winning the league is never guaranteed, so to see all the hard work, sacrifices, and commitment payoff is truly special. I’m extremely proud of the players and the technical team.
Taking charge of a women’s team – how much pressure was there to do well and what was your winning formula?
There was definitely pressure because this is a team with a winning culture and big expectations. My approach was to respect that legacy while bringing in consistency, discipline, and clear structures. Our “formula” was simple: work hard, stay humble, trust the process, and create an environment where every player feels valued and motivated.
There have been strong contenders to the title — UJ, TS Galaxy, TUT — who were top of the table at some point. How did you keep the focus?
We focused on ourselves. We respected every opponent, but we didn’t get distracted by the table or the noise outside. The message to the players was always about controlling what we can control, taking it one game at a time, and maintaining professionalism and consistency irrespective of who was leading at any point.
When did you realise that you could be on track to defending the title?
I realised we were on the right path when the team did not lose in the first 10 games in a row, all with clean sheets. I also saw the team’s response during the tougher fixtures played away — especially when we had to grind out results e.g. 1-0 win at Richmond United, 2-0 victory at the University of Fort Hare. Those moments showed me that the mentality, hunger, and unity were still there. That’s when I felt confident we were on track.
The title gives Sundowns Ladies passage to the COSAFA Champions League qualifiers — how far have you thought ahead and how will you approach it this time to ensure a place in the Champions League proper?
We’ve definitely thought ahead about a possibility to correct our exit in the semis. Preparation will be key. We need to improve on small details, strengthen the squad where necessary, and make sure we are sharper in every department. Our approach will be to go into COSAFA with a stronger mentality, improved physical level, and better tactical flexibility to ensure we secure our spot in the Champions League.
You speak of strengthening the squad…
We are always looking to strengthen, first by tapping into our development as you quite aware about the successful introduction of Kat Malebana, Jabu Mbatha and Munashe Mugwara, Women’s football is growing fast, and competition is increasing, so we have to stay ahead. We will assess the squad, identify the areas that need reinforcement, and bring in quality where it’s needed — but always in a way that
complements our style and culture.
Overall, how would you sum up the season?
It was a challenging but rewarding season. We had ups and downs, but the players showed tremendous character. The league has become more competitive looking at the likes of TS Galaxy Queens and JVW, which pushed us to improve every week. Ultimately, it was a season of resilience, and commitment.
From a personal point of view, how big is this achievement and what does it mean to you?
It means a lot. As a coach, these moments validate the work you put in behind the scenes. Personally, it’s a humbling achievement because it reflects the trust the club have in me in leading this bunch of wonderful and talented players. It motivates me to keep improving and to continue contributing to the success of Banyana ba Style and the women’s game at large.
9. Although you were on track to win the league, it must be disappointing to win without kicking a ball. Your take on games that were not played?
Yes, it’s not the ideal way to win a title. You always want to compete on the pitch and earn it the right way. Missed fixtures are not good for the image of the league, especially at a time when women’s football needs consistency and support. Hopefully, all stakeholders can work together to prevent these situations and keep raising the standard of the league.
Sundowns Ladies Fact File:
- Won first five matches before dropping points (draw to Copperbelt Ladies)
- Did not concede in the first 11 games of the season – scored 34 goals in that period
- First defeat came after 11 games (losing 2-1 to JVW)
- Won last 14 matches (since goalless draw to UWC in August)
- Haven’t conceded in their last six games – and scored 23 goals in the process
- Only team to have conceded under 10 goals
Sundowns Ladies in a nutshell in 2025:
- Games: 28
- Wins: 24
- Home wins: 13
- Away wins: 10
- Home Draw: 1
- Away draw: 1
- Away losses: 2
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 2025 season:
| DATE | HOME TEAM | SCORE | AWAY TEAM | RESULT |
| 19 Nov | Sundowns Ladies | 2 – 0 (W/O) | City Lads Ladies | W |
| 16 Nov | Sundowns Ladies | 1 – 0 | Copperbelt Ladies | W |
| 12 Nov | Sundowns Ladies | 3 – 0 | Univ. of JHB | W |
| 05 Nov | Ezemvelo Ladies | NOT PLAYED | Sundowns Ladies | Still outstanding |
| 01 Nov | Sundowns Ladies | 7 – 0 | Durban Ladies | W |
| 19 Oct | Univ. of JHB | 0 – 5 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 11 Oct | Univ. of Pretoria | 0 – 5 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 05 Oct | TS Galaxy Queens | 1 – 3 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 28 Sep | Sundowns Ladies | 5 – 1 | TUT Ladies | W |
| 24 Sep | Richmond United | 0 – 1 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 21 Sep | First Touch Ladies | 4 – 0 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 14 Sep | Univ. of Fort Hare | 0 – 2 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 16 Aug | Sundowns Ladies | 1 – 0 | Univ. of CT | W |
| 10 Aug | Durban Ladies | 1 – 3 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 06 Aug | Sundowns Ladies | 2 – 0 | Univ. of Pretoria | W |
| 03 Aug | Univ. of the WC | 0 – 0 | Sundowns Ladies | D |
| 15 June | JVW | 2 – 1 | Sundowns Ladies | L |
| 07 June | Royal AM | 2 – 0 (W/O) | Sundowns Ladies | L |
| 25 May | TUT Ladies | 0 – 4 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 17 May | Sundowns Ladies | 6 – 0 | Richmond United | W |
| 11 May | First Touch Ladies | 0 – 2 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 04 May | Sundowns Ladies | 1 – 0 | Univ. of Fort Hare | W |
| 30 April | City Lads Ladies | 0 – 6 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 26 April | Sundowns Ladies | 0 – 0 | Copperbelt Ladies | D |
| 23 April | Sundowns Ladies | 8 – 0 | Royal AM | W |
| 19 April | Sundowns Ladies | 2 – 0 | Ezemvelo Ladies | W |
| 12 April | Univ. CT | 0 – 2 | Sundowns Ladies | W |
| 22 March | Sundowns Ladies | 1 – 0 | Univ. of the WC | W |
| 09 March | Sundowns Ladies | 2 – 0 | JVW | W |
W/O (walkover)
By Matlhomola Morake
