It was two contrasting semi-finals on Friday, as UJ and UWC booked their tickets for this year’s Women’s Varsity Football final. 2013 winners UJ trashed record champions TUT, while UWC beat Tuks in a replay of last year’s final on penalties.
UJ hammer record champs TUT
2013 champions UJ booked their ticket for the third Women’s Varsity Football final and their first since 2017 after knocking out record winners TUT.
UJ scored the opener from the penalty spot with tournament top goalscorer Sphumelele Shamase calmly converting to net her sixth goal of this year’s edition in the 16th minute.
In the 24th minute, it was again Shamase from the penalty spot to give her side a two-goal lead, with her seventh goal of the tournament.
TUT pulled one back through a penalty early in the second half, with Tshogofatso Motlogelwa converting the spot-kick after she was fouled in the box in the 41st minute. However, UJ quickly recovered from this setback as Thubelihle Shamase scored her side’s third goal just three minutes later.
Lerato Lefa made it 4-1 for UJ after beating TUT keeper Thando Sitole from a tight angle in the 53rd minute and just a minute later, Refilwe Maseko added the fifth as TUT was slowly falling apart.
In the end, UJ coach Nthabeleng Modiko and her side celebrated one of the biggest wins at the semi-final stage and set out a marker ahead of Sunday’s final.
Result: UJ 5-1 TUT
Scorers: 16’ 1-0 Sphumelele Shamase, 24’ 2-0 Sphumelele Shamase, 41’ 2-1 Tshogofatso Motlogelwa, 44’ 3-1 Thubelihle Shamase, 53’ 4-1 Lerato Lefa, 55’ 5-1 Refiloe Maseko
Woman of the Match: Ayesha Moosa (UJ)
Line-ups:
TUT: Sithole, Ramaoka, Ntsabo, Motlegelwa, Chuma, Mohlouao, Ramanna, Mafinkeng, Khumalo, Dzivhani, Mohlala
UJ: Mazivise, Lefa, Rasehlo, Mokoena, Sandleni, Thubelihle Shamase, Maseko, Sphumelele Shamase, Munasi, Moosa, Macomo
UWC beat Tuks on penalties
The replay of last year’s final was another tight affair, and just like in that final the game could only be decided on penalties. The first half was disrupted by injuries and low on real highlights.
However, defending champions UWC were well on top, while Tuks mainly focussed on defending.
The best chance of the first stanza came in injury time when Slindile Duma denied Nabeelah Galant with a superb save after the UWC forward had pounced on a cross and the ball looked destined for the back of the net.
Galant had another massive opportunity to score just after the break, but her shot from close range missed the target. Just a minute later, UWC had the ball in the back of the net through Tshegofatso Senanya but it was ruled out due to offside.
The game remained tight, with UWC looking slightly better on the eye but neither side managed to find a breakthrough. Lindokuhle Gladile almost stole it at the death for UWC but her shot missed the target by the slightest of margins.
In the end, the match went into penalties, with UWC making an interesting switch of goalkeepers just before the final whistle, with Kay-Dee Windvogel replacing Siphesihle Dlamini.
And Windvogel immediately saved the first Tuks penalty in the shootout. However, Banyana star Bongeka Gamede also missed a penalty for UWC to equal out the advantage. But Windvogel made up for the miss of her captain by saving Tuks fourth attempt. Unathi Simayile gave UWC reason to celebrate after slotting home the final spot-kick – much to the celebrations of her teammates.
Result: UWC 0-0 (4-3) Tuks
Scorers: none
Woman of the Match: Nabeelah Galant (UWC)
Line-ups:
UWC: Dlamini, Gamede, Gladile, Nogqala, Simayile, Motau, Mngxunya, Matsotsi, Galant, Senanya, Magama
Tuks: Duma, Phala, Mallela, Mashishi, Manamela, Msindo, Mkhwanazi, Ledwaba, Shongwe, Tshuku, Petlane
OTHER RESULTS OF THE DAY:
7th/8th playoff: DUT 3-0 UL | Woman of the Match: Ntombifikile Ndlovu (DUT) 5th/6th playoff: Wits 2-2 (3-1) NWU | Woman of the Match: Erin Herz (Wits)
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