UWC Women Football will have their sights set on defending their Varsity Women Football title when the 2024 tournament kicks off on 26 July and they will go into the competition with the added motivation of being chosen to represent South Africa at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League later this year.
Head coach Thinasonke Mbuli has been in charge of matters in the UWC side since 2019 and is also the Banyana Banyana assistant coach for the past seven seasons, setting the UWC side apart from their peers across various tournaments and competitions.
The team from Bellville's success in delivering some top talent including Bongeka Gumede, Sibulele Holweni, Fikile Magama, Kholosa Biyana, Noxolo Cesane, Regirl Ngobeni, and Amogelang Motau. Mbuli, however, is not short on any achievements as a coach, she was awarded the coach of the year when UWC finished second in the Hollywoodbets Super League at the end of the 2023 season.
This achievement was recently buoyed when it was announced that UWC will be representing South Africa at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers scheduled to take place from 16 – 24 August in Malawi. This announcement came off the back of UWC having finished second to current CAF Women’s Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns for the past three seasons in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
UWC will represent SA along with seven other teams representing their respective countries including Gaborone United (Botswana), Young Buffaloes (Eswatini), Ascent Academy (Malawi), UD Lichinga (Mozambique), FC Ongos (Namibia), Green Buffaloes (Zambia), and Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe).
"This is the best news ever, we have always wanted to test ourselves at a higher level against teams on the continent and we are excited that the opportunity has come for us to first compete in the region," Mbuli told SABC Sport.
"We know it is not going to be easy, but we will go out there and give it our all,"
"I am very happy for the players; they have always wanted it more than anything. It gives us great pleasure that we are the first university team in South Africa to play in the tournament, but we also understand the pressure of representing the country, hence we say we will give it a good go."
Fixtures HERE
Tickets HERE
By: Lyndon Julius
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