The University of Johannesburg (UJ) women’s football team showcased their prowess at the 2025 Pirates Cup this week, clinching a silver medal. The match was held at Marks Park Sportsgrounds in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, on Monday, April 21, 2025. The team’s journey to the final included two victories in the group stages against Windhoek City FC (2-0) and Emalahleni LFA Ladies FC (6-1), followed by a hard-fought draw (1-1) on Good Friday, 18 April 2025 against eventual champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC.
Meanwhile, the UJ men’s football team demonstrated their quality as defending champions from the 2024 tournament, registering an impressive streak of five consecutive wins. They triumphed over Ebenezer Academy (5-0), Brits Soccer Academy (1-0), The Citizens (1-0), Mswenko Family (3-0), and the Hammer Boys (1-0). Despite this dominant run, they finished fourth after narrow penalty shootout losses to Orlando Pirates (5-4) in the semi-final and Wits University (4-2) in the third/fourth place playoff. They also recorded two goalless draws in the tournament, leading up to the penalty shootouts.
The UJ ladies team navigated a challenging path to the final, securing their spot with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory over JVW FC after a 1-1 draw in the semi-final. The final saw them face familiar rivals Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC in a tense 60-minute affair, with Sundowns ultimately clinching the Pirates Cup title with a narrow 1-0 win. The Pirates Cup featured a competitive field of 16 men’s and eight women’s teams in the group stages.
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