The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Women’s Under-20 Football Team has once again clinched the Engen Knockout Challenge title. On Sunday, 20 July 2025, at Marks Park Sportsgrounds, the “Orange Army” secured their victory with a thrilling six straight wins. This triumph marks a return to the top for UJ, who won the tournament back-to-back in 2022 and 2023, and were runners-up in 2024.
UJ’s dominant run began on Day 1 (Friday, 18 July). They kicked off their campaign with a decisive 4-0 win over the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks), followed by a 3-0 victory against the Blue Birds Ladies. The momentum continued as they secured a crucial 1-0 win against the 2024 champions, Mamelodi Sundowns.
On Saturday, July 19, UJ left no doubt about their intentions, knocking Randburg FC out of the title race with a dominant 5-0 win in the quarterfinal.
The semifinals saw the “Orange Army” face Future Stars, emerging with a 1-0 victory. The final match against JVW FC also ended with a 1-0 scoreline in favour of UJ, solidifying their return to the top spot after earning a silver medal last year.
Beyond the team’s impressive performance, individual talents shone brightly. The young UJ ladies not only secured the R30,000.00 tournament prize money but also garnered three individual accolades:
Adrielle Mibes was a standout performer, earning both the Midfielder of the Tournament and Player of the Tournament awards. This was her final match in UJ colors before heading to the USA to continue her education and football career at the University of Arizona.
Gugulethu Dlamini was recognized as the Striker of the Tournament while Delisile Mbatha proudly walked away with the Coach of the Tournament award.
The team will compete in the Engen Champ of Champs in October 2025.
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