Debutants Aiming To Build On Debut Season Success At Chloorkop

DEBUTANTS AIMING TO BUILD ON DEBUT SEASON SUCCESS AT CHLOORKOP

Author: John Aliu

The sight of Lebogang Ramalepe hitting the Griddy dance during the title celebrations at the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League final match will go down as one of the most iconic moments in Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ history.

The highly talented right fullback was one of six debutants who played a crucial role in Banyana Ba Style’s remarkable quadruple-winning season. This outstanding achievement included victories in the inaugural edition of the Joburg Basadi Football Challenge, the regional COSAFA Cup, the CAF Women’s Champions League and the Hollywoodbets Super League title.

During the CAF competition, Ramalepe scored the team’s opening goal against Tanzania’s JKT Queens and was eventually named among the Best XI of the CAF Women’s Champions League. Despite enjoying a memorable start to her Masandawana career, Lebogang believes there is more to come from her ahead of the upcoming season.

“It was amazing as we performed very well in the various competitions of last season. However, that is all in the past now and we have a new campaign to prepare for. We have begun with preseason preparations and I think for me, there is so much to look forward to this year. I am excited about the challenge yet again and there is a huge desire within the camp to defend our titles with pride” Ramalepe stated.

Lebohang Ramalepe

Despite joining the team in the middle of the season from the University of Western Cape (UWC), Kholosa Biyana was delighted to have played a part in helping the team finish the season on a high.

“It was a great way to begin my career with Mamelodi Sundowns because, by the end of the season, I had helped the team achieve all its goals for the season. I am also excited about the chemistry I built with the entire team, despite arriving midway through the season. I am ready to participate in the preseason preparations with the team and I believe I can contribute even more this year,” Kholosa stated.

Kholosa Biyana

Malebogo Shawe, who also arrived midway through the season, praised the unity within the team, which helped her settle down quickly.

“I am grateful for the kind of teammates and coaches I have at the club because they were so supportive. The welcoming atmosphere made the transition smoother for me and I felt a strong sense of unity within the team. It’s this sense of togetherness that not only helps us on the field but also creates a positive environment off the pitch. I believe it played a significant role in my adaptation to the team and I look forward to contributing more to our shared success in the upcoming season,” Shawe expressed.

Malebogo Shawe

For Karabo Dhlamini, it was a season of success after rejoining the Brazilians following her exploits with Banyana Banyana at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations and the 2020 COSAFA Women’s Championship.

One of Dhlamini’s highlights of the quadruple-clinching season was scoring in the 5-1 league victory over TUT Ladies in the highly anticipated Tshwane Derby. However, when asked about her most memorable game of the campaign, she opted for the massive clash away at UWC.

“I remember the intensity of the Tshwane Derby, but the game away at UWC was very tough. I enjoyed that game because of the high-quality football and it was also our chance to level up the points, which made it more interesting and entertaining. We eventually won by a lone goal and we never looked back after that,” Karabo stated.

Karabo Dhlamini

Thato Letsoso also enjoyed a superb debut season with Banyana Ba Style after joining from TUT Ladies. The hard-tackling midfielder highlighted her favorite moment from the past campaign and outlined her plans for the new season.

“I enjoyed my first-ever game for Sundowns Ladies against Ma-Indies, which we won 3-1. The atmosphere was incredible as the supporters turned out in numbers and in that moment, I truly felt what it means to be a Sundowns player. For the next season, I hope we can maintain more clean sheets and improve our defensive numbers,” Letsoso said.

Thato Letsoso

However, it was on the biggest stage that Refilwe shone the brightest, finishing as the Top Scorer of the CAF Women's Champions League with five goals. Subsequently, she was nominated for the CAF Interclub Player of the Year Women Award, while her second goal in the final against Sporting Club Casablanca was nominated for the Caf Goal of the Year Award.

Despite enjoying a splendid start to life at Masandawana, the Botswana forward is looking to improve her finishing skills ahead of the new season. She expressed, “Of course, there is always room for improvement because the game is dynamic and ever-evolving. I’m constantly working on refining my technique and understanding different goal-scoring situations. The coaching staff here at Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies has been incredibly supportive, providing valuable insights and tailored training sessions to help me elevate my game. I believe that continuous improvement is crucial for personal and team success and I am eager to contribute even more in the upcoming season.”

Refilwe Tholakele

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