12 Varsity Cup Ladies Crowned Champions of Africa
Sinegugu Zondi and Simnikiwe Hlakaza of UWC is in action with Hilda Magaia of TUT during the Varsity Football final match UWC vs TUT at Mafikeng stadium on 26 September 2019 Photo: Christiaan Kotze/SASPA
As many as 12 ladies who participated in previous instalments of the Varsity Cup were crowned champions of Africa with Banyana Banyana over the weekend.
Our national women’s football team beat Morocco 2-1 in an exciting Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final in front of over 45 000 fans at the Prince Moulay Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday.
It was a historic triumph for South African women’s football, as Banyana finally won their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title after losing five finals before.
On Saturday, though, and throughout the tournament, the current crop of Banyana players showed their class as they ended the competition with six wins from their six games.
The squad included six ladies from the 2021 instalment of Varsity Football: Regirl Ngobeni, Bongeka Gamede, Amogelang Motau, Sibulele Holweni, Noxolo Cesane and Nomvula Kgoale, while the 2019 Varsity Cup winner Hildah Magaia (TUT) netted both goals in the final.
Magaia, who was the captain of the TUT-winning squad in 2019, Cesane, Kgoale, Noko Matlou and captain Refiloe Jane were all in the starting XI for the 2-1 final win over Morocco after developing into important pillars in Desiree Ellis’ squad.
Jane, who was on the books of AC Milan over the last two years, played and scored in the 2017 Varsity Football final, which TUT won 4-0 against UJ, and Matlou was formerly playing for UJ before moving up the ranks in women’s football.
Kholosa Biyana of UKZN was a second-half substitute in Saturday’s final.
Ngobeni, Gamede, Motau, Holweni and Cesane all represented 2021 champions, the University of the Western Cape, at last year’s Varsity Football, while Kgoale was donning the TUT shirt in 2021.
Thalea Smidt represented UWC between 2015 and 2017 and captained UP-Tuks in 2018 but remained an unused substitute in Saturday’s final.
In addition, Thembi Kgatlana, a 2016 Varsity Cup runners-up with UWC, was also part of the squad but had left the tournament after picking up a serious Achilles injury in the final group stage match.
Banyana also qualified for the 2023 FIFA World Cup, and we’re looking forward to seeing our ladies represent Varsity Football at the biggest stage in women’s football.
From the team of Varsity Football, we’d like to congratulate Desiree Ellis and her whole squad on writing history this weekend. We’re particularly proud of our 12 Varsity football representatives within the squad.
The 2022 edition of Women’s Varsity Football takes place from 9-14 October and includes the top eight university teams across the country.
