With the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the horizon (20 July - 20 August), places in women Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis’ final 23 are being hard fought for.

One thing that is becoming clear is that UWC will merit a healthy contingent of players on the flight to the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

UWC have maintained six players in all three the senior national women’s squads named so far this year. 

For the Turkish Women’s Cup in February, UDubs captain Bongeka Gamede, returnee Kholosa Biyana and talented rightback Fikile Magama each got starts against Uzbekistan and/or Slovenia. Regirl Ngobeni played second fiddle to Banyana Banyana goalkeeper and co-captain Andile Dlamini, Amogelang Motau provided midfield backup on the bench and Sibulele Holweni was a non-travelling reserve.

While Motau missed out on April’s trip to face Serbia in a friendly, free-scoring Holweni was included among the travelling 23 and so was Lonathemba Mhlongo - due reward for the 20-year-old’s excellent form alongside Gamede in UWC defence which has been miserly in the first half of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season.

Biyana was the odd one out for early May’s week-long training camp in Johannesburg for locally-based players, but she - like Gamede and Holweni - will be hoping that a second World Cup tournament remains in the offing when Ellis and her fellow selectors settle on the lucky 23.