The 2024/25 Hollywoodbets Super League season is slowly reaching business end and you can tell by the effort made by some teams at the bottom of the standings who are working tirelessly to avoid relegation or to finish at the best position possible.
Lindelani Ladies have struggled in their maiden season of the top flight league, week in and week out, their opponents were almost guaranteed easy points from the ladies who come from Ntuzuma in KZN. As such, they sit at 15th place on the standings with relegation seeming more than likely.
However, Nkosinathi Vilakazi’s team have been hard at work, winning their game 3-1 against a tough Richmond United on Sunday as captain Nomfundo Mkhize scored a hat-trick to see her side though. This follows a 4-0 drubbing of fellow league strugglers Thunderbirds Ladies in the previous week.
Another KZN side that’s hoping to save a challenging campaign is Durban Ladies FC, last season they finished 8th, winning 14 games. This year ‘wins’ have been hard to come by, the 3-2 victory at TUT Matsatsantsa FC, at the weekend was only their 5th of the season. Khwezi Khoza scored in the 88th minute to seal the win in the 5-goal thriller. Durban Ladies now sit 13th on the log and it remains to be seen how they’ll fare in the remaining 6 games of the season.
University of Pretoria and University of Western Cape played to a goalless draw, a result that gives Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies a bigger cushion at the top of the table. Sundowns Ladies won 1-0 at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium thanks to a Nthabiseng Majiya goal. They now have 65 points while UWC FC follows with 51 points and 6 games in hand.
Defender Bambanani Mbani is happy about the 3 points: “We knew that this game was not going to be easy, you know, playing City Lads at home is a difficult one. We’ve never beaten City Lads with more than three or four goals at home. We knew that this game was not going to be easy. The coach said that they were going to come at us in a low block. But I’m happy with the three points.”
Head Coach and 2024 Momentum gsport award Coach of the Year Jerry Tshabalala expressed his thirst for more: “A very frustrating win, you know. Taking into consideration the fact that the number of chances that we created in the first half, we could have robbed this game in the first half. We could have been 6-0 up in the first half. We had players who were missing one-on-one with the goalkeepers, you know. I think it’s disappointing.
“We’re trying as much as we can to refresh the team, you know, to give the players a bit of a run. But if players are not switched on and players don’t grab the opportunity given to them with both hands, it’s really frustrating. I think it’s good that we created more chances in the first half. I think if we see that we’ve utilised these chances, it’s a good thing.”
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies Head Coach, Jerry Tshabalala
At the Kanyamazane Stadium in Mbombela, TS Galaxy Queens put out a clinical performance winning 4-0 against First Touch FC Ladies. Lesego Nkoane (27’) opened the scoring followed by Busisiwe Ndimeni (31’), Mamello Makhabane (36’) and Nicole Michael (91’). Next up they host Copper Belts FC, who will be hoping to avenge the 3-0 loss at the hands of University of Johannesburg.
UJ struggled to find the back of the next in the first half but a series of mistakes and lapse in concentration saw Tshibogo Madihlaba reward the Orange Army with an own goal then Onelisa Nanasele (62’) and Shannon Macomo (89’) slotted in the next two goals. UJ are third on the standings following 14 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses.
On Saturday 21 September 2024, UJ will entertain AmaTuks and hope to complete a season double against the Stripe Generation after beating them 2-1 in the first half of the season.
A brace by Gabriela Salgado ensured that JVW FC secures maximum points at Royal AM’s Harry Gwala Stadium. Qiniso Shabangu pulled one back for the hosts.
In May this year JVW held Sundowns to a 1-1 draw. The big question is when they meet again on Saturday, can they go one up and secure maximum points against the defending champions?
Hollywoodbets Super League 2024/25 Season Top Goal Scorers
Boitumelo Rabale (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC) – 12
Nthabiseng Majiya (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC) – 11
Litseoane Maloro (Royal AM) – 11
Top Clean Sheets
Kaylin Swart (JVW FC) – 10
Siphesihle Dlamini (UWC) – 9
Matshidiso Masebe (University of JHB FC) – 9
Main Photo Caption: Log leaders’ Head Coach Jerry Tshabalala was dissatisfied with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ narrow 1-0 away win against City Lads FC at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on Saturday, 14 September, 2024. Photo: Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, with editing by gsport
Photo 2 Caption: TUT Matsatsantsa FC scored twice, but went down 3-2 in their home fixture against visitors Durban Ladies. Photo: Supplied
Photo 3 Caption: Shannon Macomo scored UJ FC’s third goal just before the whistle for a clinical 3-nil home win over Copperbelt Ladies FC. File Photo: UJ Sport
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