ACTION between Lindelani Ladies and University of Fort Hare during the Sasol League National Championships Final. | BackpagePix
IN THEIR maiden season of the Hollywoodbets Super League, Lindelani Ladies football club have been handed an opportunity to shock South African women’s football.
The KwaZulu-Natal-based club will travel to Gauteng for a clash against Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies at the UJ Soweto Stadium tomorrow at 11.30am.
The clash is being built up as a typical ‘David versus Goliath’ battle as top-flight debutants Lindelani look to topple the team who have dominated the league since its inception.
Sundowns have won four titles in a row but are currently in second place behind the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in the 2024 standings having played a game less.
For Lindelani, it has been a difficult start to life in the top flight as they currently hold 13th spot, having collected just four points in their first five games.
Their only win this season came in their opening game when they marginally defeated now bottom-placed Thunderbirds Ladies.
Since then they’ve gone on to lose to TUT Matsatsantsa, CityLads and First Touch.
The newbies will be desperate to stop their miserable form and hope to sort out their defensive issues which have seen them concede nine goals in their last three games.
Coming up against a Banyana Banyana-filled Sundowns, Lindelani are in for a true test of their wits and courage.
The Banyana contingent of Sundowns are expected to still be feeling the emotional effects of missing out on qualification for this year’s Paris Olympics on Tuesday, something Lindelani could use to their advantage.
However, quality in football can never be doubted even in difficult circumstances and Sundowns go into this clash as heavy favourites against women who may have idolised their Banyana players since winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022.
Before this encounter, Lindelani’s fellow KZN side Durban Ladies will make the trip to Mpumalanga for a clash against TS Galaxy Queens at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium today at 11am.
Durban Ladies are still reeling from a 5-1 hammering at the hands of Sundowns in their last game and will look to bounce back against the Rockets.
Two wins and three losses since the start of the season sees Durban Ladies stuck in the middle of the table, desperate to improve on their eighth-place finish from last season.
For Pietermaritzburg-based Royal AM, the mission is to capture an elusive first win of the new season and they’ll have no better chance than in their next match.
Thwihli-Thwahla welcome fellow strugglers the University of Fort Hare to the Harry Gwala Stadium today at 3pm.
Royal AM and University of Fort Hare occupy 14th and 15th places respectively on the standings and are desperate for points, even at this early stage of the campaign.