Deborah Henry in action in the only match she played for Silver Ladies at the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA Botswana 2026 Qualifier
* The Silver Strikers Ladies’ forward sustained a distal fibula fracture during the team’s opening match of the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA Botswana 2026 Qualifier
* She was part of Malawi Scorchers historic appearance at the WAfCON as an unused sub in all five matches played
By Duncan Mlanjira
Silver Strikers Ladies forward Deborah Henry, who sustained what is called a distal fibula fracture during the team’s opening match of the of the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA Botswana 2026 Qualifier, is reported to have undergone a successful surgery.
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The club announced on its media platform that the surgical procedure — open reduction and internal fixation — was successful to realign and stabilise the fractured bone.
The surgery was performed last Thursday, September 3 and the club reports that the NBM Women’s Premiership 2025 Golden Boot winner has now begun the first phase of her rehabilitation.
She sustained the injury against Mozambique’s Costa do Sol in Gaborone during the Silver Strikers Ladies’s encounter against Mozambique’s Costa do Sol, which the Bankers won 2-1 after coming from behind.
This was Silver Ladies’ debut appearance of the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA Qualifier and the opening victory followed a 0-4 loss to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Deborah in Gaborone
They then won 5-1 against fellow debutants, eSwatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs, to qualify for the semifinals finals in which they were beaten 2-1 by ZESCO Ndola of Zambia.
In the 3rd place play-off, they lost 0-4 to the hosts Gaborone United-ladies.
The injury was a setback for the striker, who was a key member of the Silver Strikers Ladies squad along with four other Scorchers that she flew together with straight to Gaborone from the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) — Ireen Khumalo, Chikondi Gondwe, Tionge Phiri and Madyina Ngulube.
Chikondi Gondwe, Tionge Phiri, Madyina Ngulube, Deborah Henry and Ireen Khumalo
Deborah earned a place into the Scorchers after impressing in the first round of the NBM Women’s Premiership.
She made a mark in her second international when she scored a hat-trick in Scorchers 8-1 win against Lesotho during the COSAFA Womens Championship 2026.
She eventually won the NBM Women’s Premiership title with the Bankers and her overall performance also earned her the 2025 Player of the Season award — having scored an unassailable 23 goals.
Deborah Henry at her debut COSAFA Women’s Championship 2026
At the Scorchers’ WAfCON Morocco 2026 grandeur appearance, Deborah was an unused sub in all five matches played.
“Henry’s return to competitive football will now depend on the progress of her bone healing and functional recovery throughout rehabilitation.
“The club’s medical and performance teams will continue to monitor her progress and guide her rehabilitation at every stage,” says the club.
Silver Ladies displayed Deborah’s jersey in all matches they played without her
Deborah earned several Player of the Match accolades in the inaugural NBM Premiership and her also dominated the women’s football category of FAM Annual Awards.
Her teammates Ireen Sibande and Ireen Khumalo were named NBM Women’s Premiership Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Defender of the Season respectively; while their mentor Andrew Chikhosi won the Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding Silver Ladies to clinch the tile at 98% winning run.
Runners-up, Ascent Soccer, Leticia Chinyamula, who is captain of Malawi women’s U20, was named NBM Women’s Premiership Midfielder of the Season while Kukoma Ntopwa’s Sarah Mlimbika is Women’s Young Player of the Year.
Ireen Khumalo and Deborah Henry during the FAM Awards