THE SAFA EC Sasol Women’s League Champions, City Lads Ladies FC, will be playing their football in the National Hollywoodbets Super League next season, after the Sasol League National Championship final on Sunday, at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.
Even though the Eastern Cape side lost in the final, at the hands of Western Cape’s Vasco da Gama Ladies FC 4-3, they gained promotion by progressing to the final, and that means both Vasco da Gama and City Lads have qualified for the Hollywoodbets Super League.
The added incentive is that Vasco da Gama walked away with R200 000 cash while the Eastern Cape side won R100 000.
The week-long tournament produced a total of 51 goals from 12 matches. Lads were one of the teams that added to that tally in the tournament, scoring 19 goals in three matches.
City Lads beat the hosts, Lindelani Ladies, of KwaZulu-Natal, 3-2, in the first semi-final to set up a final match against Vasco da Gama. The chairperson of City Lads Ladies FC, Nomalungelo Mooi, said they were happy to be promoted, even though they wanted to win the tournament.
“Yes, we are very happy with how things turned out even though we were disappointed with losing the game at the end.
“Our main aim was to be promoted to the national league and indeed we achieved that, but the girls were disappointed to lose the game.
“But other than that, we are super happy that we have achieved what we have been hungry for so many years,” said Mooi
SAFA Eastern Cape chairperson, Mzimkhulu Fina, said the team’s promotion was a good thing for the development of women’s football.
“It is truly developing and killing the stereotypes that say, a woman’s place is in the kitchen. Now we can see how football helps to fight poverty as you can see how our players are performing even in Europe countries.
“By sending money home, they also help their families and communities.
“As the Eastern Cape, we are so happy that two teams will now compete in that national league.”
