Jones works her magic to propel her team into the next round.
Jade Jones of The Magic Ladies FC on the ball with Tasneem Cooksen of Badgers on her heels, during their sides' Safa Cape Town Woman’s Coke Cup match played at the Rooikrans sportsground, in Grassy Park on Sunday.
Image: Mark Ward
Mark Ward
Jade Jones lit up the Rooikrans sportsground in Grassy Park on Sunday with a dazzling hat-trick as she helped The Magic to sweep aside their Sasol League rivals, the Badgers, to secure a commanding 3-0 victory and advance to the next round of the Safa Cape Town Coke Cup.
The 21-year-old forward left the opposition in her wake with her physical presence, pace, and producing a solid performance that sent out an early warning signal when she unleashed a ferocious 35-meter strike that rattled the woodwork.
The tone to this round 64 encounter was set by her in the 13th minute when she found the net in style. She sidestepped three defenders before calmly slotting the ball past the helpless goalkeeper.
Her second came moments before half-time to double the lead and leave the Badgers reeling. By the time she completed her hat-trick midway through the second half, the contest was all but settled. Jones had not only secured a win for her team but stamped her authority on the match as its undisputed hero.
Magic Ladies FC's Jade Jones battles for possession during last year's Dream Cup final against Cape Town Roses, at William Herbert sports complex in Wynberg
Image: Fuad Esack
Raised in Bishop Lavis, Jones’s journey to football stardom began on the hard concrete of her neighborhood streets, playing with boys and honing her skills in nearby park games wherever a patch of grass was available.
Her raw talent and relentless drive saw her earn a call-up to the national setup, featuring in the Banyana Banyana squad during the 2023 COSAFA Cup in Johannesburg.
Although she has not been part of the national team setup since then, the future might just be opening its doors again. With South Africa preparing for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and several veterans nearing the end of their international careers, Jones could be the spark that reignites the country’s continental ambitions, especially after the disappointment of losing the title in Morocco last month.
Magic Ladies FC's Jade Jones, pictured here at the prize-giving ceremony at last year's Dream Cup, is no stranger to big matches. On this occasion, she was named the tournament's top goal scorer and player-of-the-tournament
Image: Fuad Esack
Speaking after the match she said. “I’d love to play for the national team again. But I’m patient and will continue to do my best and score goals. Just last week, I netted nine goals for an invitation side my teammates and I played for in the Camissa Cup," said Jones.
"Unfortunately, the Sasol League came to a halt, and we do not know what is happening, but we are enjoying ourselves and have set out to win the Coke Cup,” she said.
Jones, it would seem, is just not knocking on the door of the national team; she's kicking it down, it seems.