Miche Minnies bagged an impressive hat-trick to lead Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies to a comprehensive 7-0 victory over Lindelani Ladies at the UJ Soweto Campus on Sunday, continuing their electric start to the season.
The 7-0 scoreline marked Banyana Ba Style’s biggest win of the season. Boitumelo Rabale also contributed with a brace, while Salome Kekana and an own goal from the KwaZulu-Natal-based side further added to a perfect afternoon for the reigning Hollywoodbets Super League Champions.
New signings Nthabiseng Majiya, Cimone Sauls and Asanda Hadebe all received starting nods, alongside Kholosa Biyana, who made her first start of the season. The team also welcomed back experienced duo Rhoda Mulaudzi and Lelona Daweti from long-term injuries, with both players starting on the bench.
Rabale’s early strike and Minnies’ brace set the stage for a dominant first half for the Brazilians, who stormed into the break with a commanding 5-0 lead. Minnies completed her hat-trick in the second half, as the Tshwane giants sealed a memorable victory and their third clean sheet of the campaign.
Fit-again Lelona Daweti, who came on as a second-half substitute, expressed her joy and satisfaction with her return and the team’s performance:
“First of all, I want to thank the technical team, the physios, the Coach, my teammates and everyone who helped me throughout my injury. It hasn’t been easy over the past seven months, and I’m glad to be back on the pitch. We played exceptionally well today, and I’m happy with how we took care of business,” Daweti stated.
Rhoda Mulaudzi was equally thrilled after making her return, “I am so happy; it’s been forever. I was out for between 12 to 14 months. It’s so refreshing to be back, and I’m here to help the team through what is a long season. As a team, we performed very well today, showing no signs of rustiness despite going almost three weeks without match action. Kudos to the team for converting the chances when they came; this will boost our confidence ahead of the next game.”
The victory means Sundowns Ladies have now secured 15 points from their first six games. The Brazilians boast the best attack with 23 goals scored and the best defense, having conceded just five times.
Miche Minnies’s hat-trick means she is now tied with Boitumelo Rabale with five goals at the top of the Sundowns Ladies’ scoring chart. Nthabiseng Majiya has four goals to her name, Salome Kekana has three and Chuene Morifi has scored twice. Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Regina Mogolola and Cimone Sauls have each found the net once.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will now turn their attention to the next fixture—a clash against Richmond United scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 2024, at De Aar Merino Park Stadium. The kickoff time is 15h00.
