She was named Player of the Match in Silver Ladies’ 3-1 win over Kukoma Ntopwa in which she scored a brace
* She is three goals ahead of Malawi Scorchers’ internationals, Leticia Chinyamula and Mayamiko Mkandawire of Ascent Soccer
* While on 4 goals each are Kondawo Banda of Kukoma Ntopwa and Vanessa Issa of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women
* Three hat-tricks were recorded through Leticia Chinyamula, Kondawo Banda and Maurine Phiri of Moyale Sisters
* As a club, Silver Ladies, who top the NBM Women’s Premiership log table with 18 from a 100% winning streak, also lead as top scoring teams with 18 goals
Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira & Hastings Wadza Kasonga Jnr
Deborah Henry has been on target in five matches for Silver Strikers Ladies in which she has amassed 8 goals making her the leading goalscorer in the race for the Golden Boot award of the inaugural 10-member National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership.
Advertisement
Following hot on her heels with 5 goals are Malawi Scorchers’ internationals, Leticia Chinyamula and Mayamiko Mkandawire of Ascent Soccer while on 4 goals each are Kondawo Banda of Kukoma Ntopwa and Vanessa Issa of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women.
On 3 goals each are Mary Chavinda (Bullets Women); Maurine Phiri (Moyale Sisters) and Tawina Kawaga (Mighty Wanderers Women) with nine players having two each — Deborah Henry’s Silver Ladies teammates, Ireen Khumalo & Linda Manda; Fatima Lali (Ascent Soccer); Sabina Thom, Fazilah Chiyembekezo & Catherine Kachala (MDF Lionesses); Chikondi Mgodi (Bullets Women); Angella Mwalilino (MK Academy) and Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service United Women).
From the 8 goals, two are braces she attained in Match Week 2 in their 2-1 victory over Ascent Soccer from which she was named Player of the Match; in the emphatic 6-1 win over Topik Academy; and the 3-1 triumph over Kukoma Ntopwa — from which she was also named Player of the Match for her overall high performance.
As a club, Silver Ladies — who top the NBM Women’s Premiership log table with 18 from a 100% winning streak — also lead as top scoring teams with 18 goals while their defence have been very mean at the back as they have conceded just four.
They are followed by runners-up Ascent Soccer with 13 points, who have bagged in 13 goals and conceded 3; 5th-placed Bullets Women with 14 goals and 5 conceded and 4th-placed MDF Lionesses with 10 goals and 3 conceded.
Match Week 2 recorded a total of 12 goals in five matches played as well in Week 2 with Week 3 registering 14; the 4th and 5th (16) and for 6th (13).
So far, three hat-tricks were recorded through Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer 6-0 Topik Academy); Kondawo Banda (Kukoma Ntopwa 3-0 Topik Academy) and Maurine Phiri (Moyale Sisters 4-1 MK Academy).
The results and scorers thus far from each match — as compiled by Hastings Wadza Kasonga Jnr. — are as follows:
Match Week 1
* FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 0-1 Kukoma Ntopwa Women (Esther Chauluka 43′); Player of the Match: Olivia Phikani (Ntopwa)
* Ascent Soccer 6-0 Topik Academy (Leticia Chinyamula 10′ 63′ 85′, Mayamiko Mkandawire 25′, Fatima Lali 45+3′ 54′); Player of the Match: Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer)
* MDF Lionesses 1 (Ivy Lifa 24′) Silver Ladies 2 (Ireen Khumalo 45’+3′, (Chisomo Banda 54′; Player of the Match: Chisomo Banda (Silver)
* Moyale Sisters 0-2 Mighty Wanderers Queens (Tawina Kawaga 16′, Shira Mangani 71′ (P); Player of the Match: Fanny Moyo (Wanderers)
* MK Academy 0-0 Civil Service Women; Player of the Match: Elikina Nyasulu (MK Academy)
Match Week 2
* Mighty Wanderers Women 0-2 Ascent Soccer (Mayamiko Mkandawire 33′ 85′; Player of the Match: Mayamiko Mkandawire (Ascent Soccer)
* Kukoma Ntopwa 3 (Kondawo Banda 42′ 49′ 74′) Topik Academy 0; Player of the Match: Kondawo Banda (Ntopwa)
* Civil Service Women 0-0 MDF Lionesses; Player of the Match: Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Women)
* Silver Women 4 Yamikani Mhango 6′, Rhoda Chikuse 38′, Ireen Khumalo 77′, Deborah Henry 87′) Moyale Sisters 0; Player of the Match: Ireen Khumalo (Silver Women)
* FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 3 Vanessa Issa 8′ 90+1′, Mary Chavinda 26′ MK Academy 0; Player of the Match: Zainab Kapanda (Bullets Women)
Match Week 3
* MK Academy 1 (Angella Mwalilino 12′) Kukoma Ntopwa 2 (Takondwa Gambuleni 61′ 70′); Player of the Match: Sarah Mlimbika (Ntopwa)
* MDF Lionesses 1 (Laita Magombo 1′) FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 1 (Pilirani Malora 53′); Player of the Match: Doreen Dickson (MDF Lionesses)
* Topik Academy (Rita Mwale 13′) Mighty Wanderers Queens 3 (Atupele Phiri 52′ (OG), Tawina Kawaga 61′, Atuweni Njilima 69); Player of the Match: Atuweni Njilima (Wanderers Queens)
* Ascent Soccer 1 (Leticia Chinyamula 49′) Silver Strikers Ladies 2 (Deborah Henry 46′ 64′); Player of the Match: Deborah Henry (Silver Ladies)
* Moyale Sisters 1 (Tricia Nkhata 47′) Civil Service United Women 1 (Vitumbiko Mkandawire 29′; Player of the Match: Maurine Phiri (Moyale Sisters)
Match Week 4
* Kukoma Ntopwa Queens 0-1 Mighty Wanderers Queens (Faluna Umali 45’+3′); Player of the Match: Faluna Umali (Wanderers Queens)
* Silver Strikers Women 6 (Linda Manda 3′ 41′, Chrissy Chirambo 28′ (OG), Wezzie Mvula 38′, Deborah Henry 67′ 72′) Topik Academy 1 (Martha Mwakikunga 23′); Player of the Match: Wezzie Mvula (Silver Ladies)
* Civil Service United Women 0-1 Ascent Soccer (Leticia Chinyamula); Player of the Match: Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer)
* MK Academy 0-2 MDF Lionesses (Asimenye Simwaka 13′, Fazilah Chiyembekezo 69′); Player of the Match: Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses)
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 5 (Leah Mussa 22′, Mary Chavinda 51′ 52′, Iouria Yiannakis 67′, Vanessa Issa 90’+5′) Moyale Sisters 0; Player of the Match: Asimenye Mwanyongo (Bullets Women)
Match Week 5
* MDF Lioness 2 (Catherine Kachala 45’+1′, Eltech Phiri 82′) Kukoma Ntopwa Women 0; Player of the Match: Joyce Oposi (MDF Lionesses)
* Moyale Sisters 4 (Maurine Phiri 26′ 30′ 65′, Angelina Mwalilino 47′ MK Academy 1 (Shupie Gondwe 60′); Player of the Match: Maurine Phiri (Moyale Sisters)
* Topik Academy 0-4 Civil Women (Vitumbiko Mkandawire 6′, Glory Sichinga 8′, Jessie Yosefe 26′, Emily Samuel 36′); Player of the Match: Jessie Yosefe (Civil Women)
* Ascent Soccer 3 (Mayamiko Mkandawire 6′ 32′, Lyna James 10′) FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 1 (Alepha Chimbeta 53′); Player of the Match: Mayamiko Mkandawire (Ascent Academy)
* Mighty Wanderers Queens 0-1 Silver Strikers Ladies (Deborah Henry 22′); Player of the Match: Deborah Henry (Silver Ladies)
Match Week 6
* MK Academy 0-0 Ascent Academy; Player of the Match: Dorica Mkandawire (MK Academy)
* MDF Lionesses 4 (Fazilah Chiyembekezo 65′, Catherine Kachala 68′, Sabina Thom 73′ 83′ Moyale Sisters 0; Player of the Match: Sabina Thom (MDF Lionesses)
* Civil Service Women 0-1 Mighty Wanderers (Tawina Kawaga 88′); Player of the Match: Wezzie Mhango (Wanderers Queens)
* Kukoma Ntopwa Queens 1 (Kondawo Banda 73′) Silver Strikers Ladies 3 (Grace Kakangula 12’, Deborah Henry 25′ 67′); Player of the Match: Deborah Henry (Silver Ladies)
* FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 4 (Chikondi Mgodi 35′ 64′, Caroline Mlenzo 45′ (P), Vanessa Issa 73′) Topik Academy 0; Player of the Match: Chikondi Mgodi (Bullets Women).
Meanwhile, the NBM Women’s Premiership cannot get more exciting than the forthcoming Match Week 7 in which there will be four exciting Derby encounters — with a lot more focus on the Lilongwe City derby between leaders Silver Strikers Ladies and Civil Service Women.
To be played on Sunday at Silver Stadium from 14h30, all eyes will be on 7th-placed Civil Service Women to see if they can break Silver Strikers Ladies’ 100% winning streak in which they lead the log table with 18 points — five ahead of the runners-up, Ascent Soccer.
The Blantyre City Derby will be at Mpira Stadium on Sunday from 14h30 where 3rd-placed Mighty Wanderers Queens (12 points) will host FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women, who are 6th with 7 points.
Mzuzu Stadium hosts its Derby on Sunday morning (10h00) between bottom of the table Topik Academy (10th with no point) and 9th-placed MK Academy Women (2 points) while on Saturday, Ascent will hosts fellow Lilongwe City rivals, MDF Lionesses (4th with 11 points) at Ascent Ground kicking off 14h30.
Advertisement
That leaves 5th-placed Kukoma Ntopwa Women (9 points) travelling from Blantyre City to Mzuzu City to date hosts Moyale Sisters at Mzuzu Stadium — a morning fixture from 10h00.
Excitement carries over to Mothers’ Day, October 15, for Match Week 8 as Silver Strikers Ladies travel to Blantyre for a date with hosts FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women at Mpira Stadium (14h30) while Ascent Soccer will be at Mzuzu Stadium against hosts Moyale Sisters (14h30).
Kicking off at 11h00 at Mzuzu Stadium, MK Academy will host Mighty Wanderers Queens as Civil Service Women will visit Kukoma Ntopwa at 10h00 and MDF Lionesses hosting Topik Academy at Champions Stadium from 10h00.
That will leave one Match Week to wrap up the first round of the inaugural top tier women’s premiership in which none at the top can afford to drop points with the bottom three fighting to avoid relegation.
Advertisement