20 September 2019 – UFS claimed a second win of Varsity Women’s Football 2019 by edging UP-Tuks 1-0 on Friday morning.

Kovsies got up and about again by cooking up a storm under the sizzling African sun.

Barely 15 minutes into the game, their super striker, Thembisile Msimanga found her way into the unprotected UP-Tuks goal are, left the Stripe Generation defence gasping for air and took her tournament tally to three goals.

UP-Tuks team immediately changed their game plan, with the defenders beginning to add cement to their brick wall. Their midfield also started to create healthy links between the front- and backlines.

In return, Kovsies added a bit of aggression to their tactics. With a total of ten missed attempts and four corners, both teams walked off the field of play with UFS 1-0 up.

The second half started off on a more serious note. After receiving a few words of inspiration, both teams brought out their A-game.

This wouldn’t last long as UP-Tuks started to advance over their opponents.

Seemingly pleased with their narrow lead and a win from the previous match, the Free State ladies pressed the brakes a bit. The Gauteng representatives, meanwhile, kept UFS half busy for the remainder of the second half.

Tension started to raise amongst the fans as the UP-Tuks fans and substitutes believed that they were robbed of possible penalties and that Kovsies’ time-wasting was not punished.

Ultimatelt, the 70 minutes came and went and the ended in a 1-0 scoreline in UFS’s benefit placing them top of the table in Group B and UP-Tuks on the back-foot for a previously expected semi-final position.

UP-Tuks 0
UFS (1) 1 Thembisile Msimanga

FNB Player of the Match: Noxolo Magudu (UFS)
Debonairs Pizza Real Deal Save of the Match: Mapaseka Mpuru (UP-Tuks)
MTN Pulse Moment of Brilliance: Simamkele Tshuku (UP-Tuks)

UP-Tuks: 1 Mapaseka Mpuru, 2 Nicole October, 5 Meagan Newman, 12 Relebogile Phala, 9 Morongwa Manamela, 15 Zinise Norris, 7 Katrina Maguire, 18 Duduzile Qwabe, 8 Simamkele Tshuku, 23 Amilcar Thobejane. 21 Moyahabo Monyemangena.
Replacements: 27 Mamello Lesesa, 6 Tara Pemu, 13 Nomhle Skosana, 14 Khanyisiwe Matiwane, 16 Kwenadi Makhwela, 17 Alexandra Michael, 19 Shannon Morgan.
Coach: Maud Khumalo

UFS: 28 Malebo Makhomompe, 3 Uma Jakalase, 4 Mogoshadi Mphahlele, 6 Nontokazi Mtshali, 7 Noxolo Magudu (captain), 9 Sisipo Nxasana, 10 Zikhona Ntlebi, 15 Thembisile Msimanga, 22 Thoko Mooi, 23 Mating Monokoane, 25 Nonhlakanipho Masondo.
Replacements: 12 Karabo Mosime, 2 Ndivhudzannyi Madzhie, 8 Ashley Tsosane, 11 Nomasonto Msibi, 13 Ntsamaeng Tsotetsi, 18 Christen-Lee van Wyk, 19 Sesethu Malitshe.
Coach: Godfrey Tenoff