UWC women eye domestic league after CAF qualification

University of the Western Cape (UWC) mentor Thinasonke Mbuli believes their recent CAF Women's Champions League qualification will stimulate them to also clinch the domestic league and end Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies' dominance.

UWC became the first university side to qualify for the Women's Champions League after winning the Cosafa qualifier, beating Botswana side Gaborone United 9-8 on penalties in the final at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre, Malawi, on Saturday. The game had ended 1-all before penalties.

“This success serves as motivation to try to win the league, especially after finishing as runners-up last season,'' Mbuli, who also doubles as Banyana assistant coach, told Sowetan yesterday.

Boasting three games in hand, UWC are second on the Hollywoodbets Super League table with 44 points, 12 behind Sundowns after 18 games. Banyana Ba Style are the only side who's won the league since its inception in 2019, winning it three times on the trot.

Only champions from respective countries qualify for the Cosafa qualifier but UWC earned their berth there as last season's Hollywoodbets Super League runners-up since Sundowns had automatically qualified for the Champions League as the winners of the last edition.

Mbuli said the triumph was more fulfilling because her players juggle football and their studies, crediting the experience of Banyana players such as Bongeka Gamede, Amogelang Motau, Noxolo Cesane and Lonathemba Mhlongo, among others.

“It's always never easy to balance football and school for most of our players, who are students at the university. This is what makes this success more satisfying... we sacrificed a lot and we defied the odds,'' Mbuli stated.

“Banyana players played a huge role in this success. They played Afcon, World Cup and other big games before. Normally, I don't talk to the players separately but before we left for Malawi I told the Banyana players that it was time for them to single-handedly lift the team because some of their teammates had never travelled outside SA before.''

“We needed them to guide others off and on the field. Bongeka was excellent... when we needed her at centre-back, she stepped up and when we needed her at central defence, she also excelled. Bongeka, Fikile, Nox and Amo, and Lonathemba played a pivotal role, thanks to their experience.”

The Women's Champions League will be played later this year. CAF is yet to confirm the hosting nation.

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