Basadi in Action Sports

University of Johannesburg mentor Nthabeleng Modiko is pleased to have led the Orange Army to the second Varsity Football final in a row after beating the outgoing champions, University of the Western Cape, 1-0 in the semifinals at Wits University stadium on Monday afternoon.  A repeat of the 2025 Varsity Football final came in the semifinal with last year's victors, the University of the Western Cape, facing old foes in the University of Johannesburg. The Orange Army went into this fixture still licking wounds from last year's defeat and aiming to get one better than the previous edition. 'Dunga' is pleased her charges managed to beat UWC to book a spot in the final. Former Banyana Banyana star says revenge was never on the forefront of her mind heading to the encounter but had her eyes glued to the final.  Dunga says her side has been in more finals only to come second and looking forward to going one better "Reaching back to back finals is something we are proud...

After six years away from the Varsity Football final, the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks) women’s team is back on the biggest stage and they come with belief, unity and a strong sense of purpose.  © Varsity Diski Tuks booked their place in the 2026 final with a hard-fought victory over TUT, a result that capped a campaign in which the team steadily grew in confidence and cohesion. For the Tuks coach, Sibusiso Themba, the journey to the final has been challenging but deeply rewarding. “At the start, we were still finding our feet, but the way the ladies came together is amazing.” The coach believes the team’s greatest strength has been its collective spirit. Rather than relying on individual brilliance, Tuks have built their campaign around togetherness, with every player including those coming off the bench playing a role when called upon. “ We win as a collective, not as individuals,” the coach explained. “We fought together as a team, and that is how we managed to get to the fin...

Sithembile Sandleni is proving that her impact extends beyond the classroom, bringing her leadership, discipline and determination to the football pitch for UJ Women’s Football. Born on 12 May 2003 and hailing from Nelspruit, Sandleni is a midfielder for the UJ senior women’s team. Away from football, she has also demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence, graduating with Honours in Sport Science in 2025. © UJ Football Sithembile Sandleni has emerged as one of UJ Women’s Football team’s key figures, combining her talent, determination and leadership to help guide the team to the 2026 Varsity Football final. Sandleni has shown that she is capable of stepping up when her team needs her most. Her latest standout performance came in the semi-final against defending champions UWC, where she was named Player of the Match after playing a crucial role in UJ’s victory. For Sandleni, defeating UWC in open play made the achievement even more special. “I’m excited and happy that we took o...

The stage is set for a thrilling Varsity Football Women’s final, with the University of Pretoria (UP TUKS) set to face the University of Johannesburg (UJ) after both sides secured hard-fought victories in their respective semi-finals. X (@TuksSport) The final is scheduled for Wednesday, 19 August at 19:00 at UJ Stadium, Soweto Campus, where the two universities will battle for Varsity Football women’s supremacy.  UJ booked their place in the final with a narrow 1-0 victory over the University of the Western Cape (UWC), exacting revenge for last year’s final defeat against the same opponents. The tightly contested encounter appeared destined for a stalemate before Lindelwa Mabuza struck at the death to send UJ through. The victory means coach Nthabeleng Modiko’s side will return to the final for the second consecutive year, giving UJ another opportunity to challenge for the title after falling short against UWC in last year’s decider. Meanwhile, University of Pretoria (AmaTuks) secu...

The 2026 Varsity Football Women’s competition delivered a dramatic Round 4 as the semi-finals produced two thrilling contests, with UJ and UP-TUKS emerging victorious to secure their places in this year's final. UJ 1–0 UWC: Lindelwa Mabuza’s moment of magic The first semi-final was a tightly contested battle between University of Johannesburg (UJ) and defending champions University of the Western Cape (UWC). UJ eventually edged the defending champions 1–0, with Lindelwa Mabuza producing a moment of brilliance to decide the contest. Mabuza unleashed a spectacular long-range strike that proved to be the only goal of the match, sending UJ through to the final. Her stunning effort also earned her the SportPesa Goal Rush Award. UJ's defensive resilience was equally important as they held on to protect their narrow advantage and book their place in the championship decider. Sthembile Sandleni was instrumental in UJ's hard-fought victory and was rewarded with the FNB Player of the...

The 2026 Varsity Football Women’s tournament has reached its business end, with an action-packed weekend at Wits producing plenty of goals, competitive encounters and four teams securing their places in the semi-finals. © X (@VarsityDiski) UJ continued their impressive campaign to finish top of Group A. They opened the weekend with a convincing 4-0 victory over WSU, before being held to a 1-1 draw by UL. The result saw UJ finish the group stage unbeaten on 10 points. UWC also finished strongly, following their commanding 6-0 win over UL with a 2-0 victory against TUT. The defending champions secured second place in the group and will now face UJ in the semi-finals. In Group B, UP-Tuks claimed top spot after a 3-1 win over CPUT and a crucial 2-1 victory against Wits. TUT also booked their place in the last four, despite their 2-0 defeat to UWC, following an impressive run that included an emphatic 11-1 win over CPUT. The weekend brought the group stage to an end, with Wits, WSU, CPUT an...

The 2026 Women’s Varsity Football  competition produced another action-packed round on Saturday , 8 August, as Round 3 delivered plenty of goals, standout individual performances and important results across the four fixtures. © X (@VarsityDiski) UWC 6–0 UL: Kotjie stars with a hat-trick The University of the Western Cape (UWC) continued their impressive campaign with a commanding 6–0 victory over the University of Limpopo (UL). Tiffany Kotjie was the standout performer, completing a brilliant hat-trick to spearhead UWC's dominant display. Her performance earned her the FNB Player of the Match award. Mmabatho Mogale also made her mark, claiming the Goal Rush Award as UWC produced one of the biggest victories of the round. UJ 4–0 WSU: Dlamini leads the charge The University of Johannesburg (UJ) secured a convincing 4–0 win over Walter Sisulu University (WSU). UJ controlled proceedings and converted their opportunities effectively, with Mpho Dlamini earning the FNB Player of the Ma...

The 2026 Varsity Football Women's tournament heads to Wits University this weekend for another exciting round of action, with Rounds 3 and 4 set to play a key role in shaping the race for the semifinals. © X (@VarsityDiski) After an entertaining opening weekend, teams will be looking to build momentum and secure valuable points as the competition reaches its halfway stage. Every match carries added significance, with little separating the teams and each result capable of influencing the standings. Supporters can expect a weekend of fast-paced football, fierce university rivalries and quality performances from some of South Africa's brightest student-athletes. With places in the knockout rounds up for grabs, the intensity is expected to rise as every team fights to keep its title hopes alive. Fixtures Round 3 – Saturday, 8 August 13:00 | UWC vs UL – Wits Bozzoli Fields 15:00 | UJ vs WSU – Wits Bozzoli Fields 17:30 | CPUT vs UP-Tuks – Wits Stadium 19:30 | Wits vs TUT – Wits Stadi...

The 2025 Varsity Women’s Football Final has all the makings of a classic. On Friday, September 19 at 7pm, the UJ Soweto Stadium will play host as the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) go head-to-head for the crown. Nthabeleng Modiko Both teams have been flawless in the competition. UJ have scored 13 goals without conceding, with Thato Mofolo leading the charts on six goals. UWC have been just as ruthless, firing in 15 goals and conceding only once, with Chelsea Daniels their top scorer on four. The sides are no strangers to each other — they also meet regularly in the Hollywoodbets Super League, where UJ currently sit 6th with 35 points and UWC are 14th with 21 points. But when it comes to Varsity Football, it’s a different stage, and both arrive unbeaten. Coach Modiko on the Journey For UJ Head Coach Nthabeleng “Dunga” Modiko, the path to the final has been about balance, energy, and growth: “My journey with the team into this year’s competit...

As the TUT Matsatsantsa Ladies Football Club prepares to head into the Varsity Women's Football Tournament at the TUT Stadium in Pretoria, all eyes are on their dynamic winger and captain, Tshegofatso Motlogelwa.  Tshegofatso Motlogelwa © Gallo Imaghes At just 24 years old, Tshego has already made a name for herself, not only in the Hollywoodbets Super League but also on the international stage, having been called up to the South Africa Women's Senior National team. Transitioning from her previous team, Soweto Fabulous, she has become a pivotal player for TUT. We had the opportunity to sit down with Tshego to discuss her football journey, her role models, and her vision for the future of women's football in South Africa. The Beginning of a Passion Q: How did you first get into football? Was there a particular moment or person who inspired you? Tshego: I fell in love with the game and also my dad was the one that inspired me to play at a young age Inspirations and Role Mode...