Scorchers itch for cosafa glory

Malawi National Women’s Football Team left for South Africa yesterday beaming with confidence that they will win the Cosafa Women’s Championship which kicksoff tomorrow and ends on March 1. Before departure through the Bakili Muluzi International Airport in Blantyre, Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili said lifting the regional trophy will boost the players’ morale ahead of their historic appearance in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) finals. “Our eyes are set on winning the Cosafa title because such glory will not only make Malawi proud but also boost our confidence ahead of our first Wafcon finals appearance,” he said.

The Cosafa tournament will serve as a preparatory platform for the continental showpiece in Morocco from March 17 to April 3 this year. The Scorchers won the Cosafa Women’s Championship once in 2023 when they beat Zambia 2-1 in the final and US-based striker Temwa Chawinga was the tournament’s golden boot winner with nine goals. Despite missing the services of Morocco-based striker Sabina Thom and winger Asimenye Simwaka, who have excused themselves due to other engagements, Fazili believes his squad is strong enough to take the ultimate glory.

Overseas players such as France-based strikers Tabitha Chawinga and Rose Kabzere, US-based forward Temwa Chawinga and Sweden-based midfelder Faith Chimzimu are not in the 24-player squad due to club commitments. Egypt-based midfielder Vanessa Chikupira leads the foreign-based legion, which also includes Democratic Republic of Congo-based defender Chimwemwe Madise and Zambia-based attackers Tendai Sani and Chisomo Banda. The squad also has four local-based players, who were part of the Malawi Under-20 squad that last weekend progressed to the final round of the Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, Leticia Chinyamula, Olivia Phikani, Sarah Mlimbika and Maureen Kenneth.

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“Despite not having most of our key players, the squad we have is strong enough to defeat any team we will play against at the Cosafa Women’s Championship. We are more than ready for battle,” said Fazili. On her part, Chikupira said she cannot wait to help the Scorchers lift their second Cosafa title in three years.

“The good thing is that each player in the squad is determined to give their all so as to be included in the Wafcon squad. There is no room for error in our squad,” she said. Malawi, who are in Group A, will start their Cosafa campaign tomorrow against hosts South Africa, who are the 11-team tournament’s most successful team with seven titles. Their group also has Angola and Lesotho.

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