By Sinaye Mphalala
When Dangerous Heroes Football Club started the 2022 football season they set themselves a mission to compete better and win the Sasol League Western Cape league title .
That goal was realised last weekend when the Philippi-based side defeated Spurs Women Football Club 3-2 in the playoffs after the two sides won their respective streams.
Heroes will now represent the Western Cape at the 13th edition of the Sasol League National Championship that are scheduled to take place in Polokwane, Limpopo, from 17 to 23 October 2022.
Bayanda Sikiti, founder and head coach of Heroes, was over the moon with their first ever Sasol WC league triumph, but revealed that this season was tough. “It was a great season and a taught season, off course,” he noted. “Our stream was very tight this season, unlike last season where it was a bit different. The standard from all clubs was very high from the start of the season and that was good because we had to be on our A game at all times.”
Having won their stream last year but lost the provincial playoffs to Vasco da Gama, what has Sikiti and his team done differently this year?
“We had a great team work and even a greater self-esteem. We went an extra mile in training to get them ready and prepared. And all our effects rewarded us at the end if the day, hence we managed to win it this time after we fell short last season.”
According to Sikiti, the Sasol League WC victory – the first for Heroes – is big deal for club and the community because football is not just about scoring goals and winning matches, but it’s also a sport of bragging rights, pride and sense of belonging for the fans.. “It means a lot because we are a club from Philippi so wherever we go we represent Philippi, and the community is so proud of us especially the LFA. They’ve been very supportive to us from day one.”
Sikiti and his team are aware of the task at hand: to aim for one of the top two spots in order to qualify for the HolloywoodBets Super league. But it’s a challenge that Heroes are looking forward to as he promised that they will do their utmost best to try and get to the final and make the Western Cape proud.
Meanwhile, Heroes have been drawn with Limpopo-based Copperbelt Ladies and TS Galaxy Ladies of Mpumalanga in one of the three groups made of the nice provincial Sasol League winners. Group winners and the best second place finisher will qualify for the semi-finals and the two finalists will join the top women’s football league in the country next season.
In addition, the champions will walk away with the grand prize of R200 000.00. The runners up will take home R100 000 and the third-placed team will receive R60 000.
Edited by Nicklaus Kruger
