UJ Ladies fight back to beat TUT in Hollywoodbets Super League Amplified

UJ Ladies coach Nthabeleng ‘Dunga’ Modiko praised her side’s resilience after they overcame TUT 4-2 in the Hollywoodbets Super League Amplified in Soweto on Sunday.

UJ established a 3-1 advantage before half-time, but TUT reduced the deficit when Nombuso Malesa scored early in the second half. Kutlwano Maphane then confirmed victory for the Orange Army with a late goal, close to the 90th minute.

Modiko said the result was particularly satisfying because both sides had to work hard for their chances.

“It was a tough match. Both teams really deserved to win because they both played in patches. I think one team took advantage of the other. I will speak of UJ; I thought in the first half we were solid at the start, and then we conceded, and then we dipped a little bit, and then our concentration was gone. We then had to come back in the last part of the first half, so that was really good, and again in the second half, a good reaction as well,” Modiko told SABC Sport.

The coach felt UJ had allowed their standards to drop at the beginning of the second half, but she was encouraged by the players’ response after TUT pulled a goal back.

Modiko’s team entered the match after two successive league defeats. That run followed UJ’s victory in the 2026 Varsity Football Women’s championship, which they secured in August.

The former Banyana captain rejected the suggestion that the cup competition had distracted her players during their difficult league spell.

She was instead pleased that UJ managed to produce the mentality required to recover from setbacks during the match and secure all three points.

The Orange Army’s next assignment will come away from home next weekend, when they travel to Bloemfontein to face City Lads.

Modiko’s immediate priority is to give her players time to rest before what she considers a crucial fixture.