Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies produced a dazzling display of attacking football to overwhelm TUT Ladies 5–1 in the Tshwane Derby at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Brazilians stamped their authority on the contest from the very first minute and never looked back, delighting the Yellow Nation supporters with a dominant and confident performance.
Isabella Ludwig opened the scoring in the very first minute, stunning TUT with a well-taken finish. She doubled her tally in the 24th minute, highlighting her sharpness in front of goal. Noxolo Cesane then extended the lead in the 5th minute before adding a second just before halftime in the 43rd, ensuring the reigning champions went into the break with a commanding 4–0 advantage.
The second half saw Banyana Ba Style maintain their intensity. Refilwe Tholakele struck just three minutes after the restart, rounding off the scoring and capping a perfect afternoon for Banyana Ba Style. TUT did score in the 70th minute, but that did little to alter the outcome of the match as Sundowns remained firmly in control until the final whistle.
For defender Thato Letsoso, the derby represented a special return to the pitch. “It feels so good to be back on the pitch, and I cannot overstate how much the support of my teammates has meant to me. They have been by my side throughout, encouraging me and helping me to stay positive. I also want to sincerely thank the coach for trusting me and allowing me to be part of this wonderful performance.”
Fellow defender Lebogang Ramalepe also reflected on her return, delighted to complete her first full match in some time. “It is truly great to be back with the team, and I am very happy to have been able to play my first full ninety minutes in quite a while. My focus is now on continuing to improve, both physically and mentally, so that I can contribute even more to the goals we want to achieve as a team by the end of the season.”
With this result, the Brazilians have now registered 17 wins and two draws from 21 matches, further strengthening their position in the league standings.
In terms of goal scoring, Boitumelo Rabale continues to lead the way with 10 strikes. Melinda Kgadiete Ludwig’s brace against TUT has now lifted her tally to seven, placing her level with Nthabiseng Majiya and Melinda Kgadiete. Noxolo Cesane’s double saw her tally rise to five, while Nonhlanhla Mthandi has six. Refilwe Tholakele’s second-half strike moved her tally to five. Munashe Mugwara has contributed two, while Lehlogonolo Mashigo, Tiisetso Makhubela, Bambanani Mbane, and Katleho Malebana have each scored once.
Up next for Sundowns Ladies is a clash against TS Galaxy Queens on Sunday, October 5, at Kanyamazane Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 15:00.
