Log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns take on UJ, while Ma-Indies clashes with UWC in one of the most interesting games to look forward to this weekend in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
After a four-week break due to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Hollywoodbets Super League returns with another exciting round of fixtures. Teams will head into this weekend’s fixtures with extra motivation, having witnessed Banyana Banyana lift the coveted WAFCON trophy that has eluded them for years.
Saturday 30 July
Golden Ladies 5/2 | Draw 19/10 | City Lads 11/10 (15:00)
As the league is approaching the halfway point, both these teams will be looking to pull themselves out of the relegation battle. Golden Ladies are winless this season with just three points, all of which were collected through draws. What will concern Golden Ladies in the relegation battle is their leaky defense, which has conceded the most goals this season (42), leaving them in position 15 on the log. City Lads haven’t been great either, collecting just one victory in 11 games and two draws. They will take a lot of positives from their last game, where they lost 2-1 to fourth-positioned Ma-Indies. I’m tipping a double chance here, City Lads win, or Golden Ladies win. It could go either way.
Richmond United 7/2 | Draw 2/1 | TUT FC 9/10 (15:00)
TUT Ladies used the four-week break to bolster its ranks by hosting trials, probably having realized the potential the team has shown so far this season in the Hollywoodbets Super League. The Tshwane-based team is unbeaten in the last seven games, their final loss coming against current champions and log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. TUT is in position number two on the log due to this incredible run. They are two points behind Masandawana, who have two games in hand. Meanwhile, a victory for the home side will see it go as high as the sixth position. Interestingly, Richmond has scored more goals than TUT and has a better goal difference. I’m backing TUT to walk away as victors in this game, but I expect both sides to score.
Thunderbirds 2/11 | Draw 9/2 | Tsunami Queens 14/1 (15:00)
The home side will be looking to go back to winning ways in this game after a bruising 5-1 defeat against UJ FC last time out. Before that game, they had registered a big win, defeating Vasco Da Gama 6-1. Thunderbirds are a threat in attack, but their defense has left a lot to be desired this season, and this is why they are on a -1 goal difference, having scored 21 and conceded 22 in 12 games. Fortunately, they face one of the lowest scoring sides in the league in Tsunami Queens, who are bottom of the table with just 2 points. I’m tipping an easy win for Thunderbirds Ladies.
Bloem Celtic 8/10 | Draw 18/10 | Durban Ladies 9/2 (15:00)
Fifth-positioned Bloem Celtic would have been disappointed to draw their last two games after a motivating victory against JVW in match week 10. They are still in a good position to chase the league title this season but will be under pressure to get full points against Durban Ladies, who have collected nine points in their last five games. The Durban side is now in the league’s top ten and will look to continue climbing the log. Tough one, but a draw would be my pick here.
Ma-Indies Ladies 19/10 | Draw 2/1 | UWC 14/10 (15:00)
One of the games of the weekend! Fourth-placed Ma-Indies have a meeting with third-positioned UWC, with both teams looking to close the gap between them and log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. The home side is unbeaten in their last seven fixtures, while UWC is on a four-game winning streak. Ma-Indies have a more potent attacking prowess, having registered 22 goals this season, the fourth-highest goals scored this season, while UWC has the more robust backline in the division that has conceded just six goals in 10 games. I’m backing a draw here.
Sunday 31 July 2022
JVW FC 7/20 | Draw 7/2 | Vasco Da Gama 6/1 (11:30)
Like Mamelodi Sundowns, JVW heads into this weekend’s game with two games in hand due to their players being called up to represent Banyana Banyana at this year’s WAFCON. The squad will have a welcomed boost ahead of their clash with 13th-positioned Vasco Da Gama, who are winless in their last four games. Their founder and captain, Janine van Wyk returns as a WAFCON winner after years of service to the national team, which should lift the team’s spirit. This will be an easy win for JVW.
First Touch 16/10 | Draw 22/10 | Coal City Wizards 16/10 (13:00)
Both these teams will be looking to add a cushion between them and relegation strugglers heading into this fixture. First Touch is dangerously close to relegation places, sitting on 12th position, only seven points above 15th positioned Golden Ladies, while Coal City is a further 2 points up on 11th position. The home side has a low scoring rate, averaging a goal in every game and conceding two. Coal City have scored double the goals they have managed, with one less game played. I’m backing the visiting side to get full points here.
Sundowns 1/4 | Draw 9/2 | UJ FC 15/2 (15:00)
The weekend’s final game will see defending Champions Masandawana take on fellow Gauteng-based team UJ. The home side hasn’t tasted defeat at home all season and has lost only once after ten games with 46 goals scored and just seven conceded. There’s no way to sugarcoat this. UJ will be facing the best team in the league, and they will need to be at their best to have any chance of squeezing anything out of this game. UJ doesn’t have a terrible record either this season, winning six games and losing only four after 12 games. Sundowns will still be too strong for them and should win this with over two goals.
