Cream of women’s football to be seen
Soccer fans are up for an exciting sporting week from December 4 to 9 as the 2017 Sasol League National Championship takes place at KaBokweni Stadium.
The tournament will see nine of the country’s top women football teams battle it out for their share of the coveted R500 000. The overall winning team is set to walk away with R200 000.
Teams will arrive in the province on Sunday. Banyana Banyana’s coach Desiree Ellis is expected to be part of the opening. “The week-long tournament will see a host of past and new provincial representatives showcase 2017’s best teams in women’s football,” explained Lebogang Thobye from Sasol.
Witbank-based Coal City Wizards will represent the province for the fourth time in a row. “We will represent the province well. Our fans can expect fireworks from us, we won’t disappoint. The team is ready for the tourney,” explained coach Mabu Moroaswi.
The team was formed in 1998 as Witbank Ladies then changed its name to Think Twice Ladies Soccer and now is Coal City Wizards. In 2014 they represented the province in the league and got position three, they also represented the province in 2015 and did not perform well and came back with a bang in 2016 where they managed to play in the semi-finals.
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They were beaten 1-0. In the country Coal City Wizard are in fourth position. This time around, the team promise to bring the trophy home.
“We invite our fans, especially women to come in their numbers to support this women’s league. We played well throughout the season with no squabbles and cases, we are expecting a good game,” said Mabu.
The team consists of players aged between 19 and 32 including Ayanda Maseko from Secunda and Nombulelo Khumalo from Pienaar.
Regina Mokoena of Flamingo Ladies wished Coal City all the best. She said although her team could not make it to the top, the Mamas and Gogos will be all out to support the Wizards from the onset of the games.
“This flagship women’s football tournament marks the ninth edition of the league.
This year Sasol together with the South African Football Association in their renewed partnership, agreed that the prize money, which was previously R200 000 shared among the nine participating teams, would be increased to R500 000. What’s more lucky fans will stand a chance to win grocery vouchers in a competition during the tournament,” added Thobye.
