Chawinga sisters lighting up China confirm Malawi availability for Cosafa

Malawi national women’s football team has been boosted by China-based stars, two sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, who have  confirmed they will be available  for next month’s Cosafa Senior Women’s Championship after a two-year absence.

Coach  for Malawi, MacNebert Kazuwa , has included the Chawinga sisters in a 35-member squad ahead of the regional women’s showpiece  which will be held in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa from November 3 to 15  2020.

“We will be available for the Cosafa tournament,” said  Tabitha, 24, the elder of the two and the skipper for Malawi.

Her younger sister, 22-year-old Temwa, who inspired Wuhan to win the Chinese Women’s Super League title in her debut season in which she finished  as second top scorer with nine goals, nine behind the eventual winner Zambian Barbara Banda also confirmed that she will definitely join the Malawi team.

“I will certainly  be available for the call to national duty,” she  told Nyasa Times from Wuhan.

Chawinga sister enjoyed playing together for most of their careers, from Malawian club DD Sunshine to Sweden side Kvarnsveden and the national team.

The Malawi team will start camp training on Thursday October 15, at the Mpira Village in Blantyre.

According to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) director of communications, Gomezgani Zakazaka, Southern Region based players already started arriving at Mpira Village on Wednesday afternoon while those from the Centre and North will join on Thursday.

On Coronavirus (COVID-19) measures, Zakazaka said all locally-based players underwent tests over the past three days and the results were negative.

“The players will also undergo medical and fitness tests on Thursday as well as COVID-19 camping guidelines orientation before they start their training sessions.

“This is a great opportunity for the team as FAM we made a commitment to have them participate in all the competitions available. Since 2017 they haven’t missed the COSAFA, they played in the Olympics qualifiers for the first time last year and this year they were due to play in the AFCON qualifiers  against Eswatini but the match was called off and the whole competition was called off due to COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Ntopwa Super Queens), Thoko Mwale (Blantyre Zero), Memory Banda (Skippers), Ruth Mhango (DD Academy), Samir Amidu (DD Sunshine).

Defenders: Chimwemwe Madise (DD Sunshine), Ruth Nyirongo (DD Sunshine), Tionge Phiri (DD Sunshine), Maureen Phiri (CY Sisters), Patricia Nyirenda (Ntopwa), Emily Jossam (Skippers), Fatsireni Kazembe (Skippers), Sylvia Phiri (Ntopwa), Saliva January (Ntopwa).

Midfielders: Madyina Ngulube (DD Sunshine), Fanny Mwale (DD Sunshine), Wezzie Mvula (DD Sunshine), Sabina Thom (DD Sunshine), Caroline Mathyola (DD Sunshine), Salome Vinkhumbo (Blantyre Zero), Zainab Kapanda (Blantyre Zero), Pilirani Malora (Blantyre Zero),  Lyna James (Blantyre Zero), Grace Yotamu (Ntopwa), Chikondi Gondwe (CY Sisters).

Strikers: Vanessa Chikupira (Blantyre Zero), Mary Chavinda (Blantyre Zero), Chipo Ngwenya (Moyale Sisters), Naomi Mwale (Moyale Sisters), Asimenye Simwaka (Topik Sisters), Yamikani Mhango (Ntopwa Super Queens), Fazira Chiyembekeza (Skippers), Loveness Nyakamera (Skippers), Tabitha Chawinga (Jiangsu Suning- China), Temwa Chawinga (Wuhan Jiangda-China)

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