* The pass to Temwa Chawinga is exquisite; the final ball is brilliant; the touch by Michelle Cooper to ripple the net; tremendous
* Every match, every sporting competition ever played illustrates the lesson. But when Temwa Chawinga
* The fastest player in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) — is involved, the lesson hits hard
Maravi Express
In his weekly ‘Breakdown of the Match’, Robert Rusert of kcsoccerjournal.com — an online publication of Temwa Chawinga’s US club, Kansas City Current — reports that there was not much to highlight for the team’s 3-1 win over Houston Dash last Saturday night at CPKC Stadium.
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“Except for the singularly most important object lesson in the world of sport, illustrated by a brilliant goal,” wrote Pasert. “The pass from Izzy Rodriguez to Temwa Chawinga is exquisite. The final ball is brilliant. The touch by Michelle Cooper to ripple the net, tremendous.
“But it is all set up by the ball doing the work — because the ball is faster than any player on the pitch. For young players – or players especially physically gifted – realising that the ball is faster than anything on the field is often a revelation, a somewhat humbling lesson for many. I’ve seen it.
“Sure, every match, every sporting competition ever played illustrates the lesson. But when Temwa Chawinga – the fastest player in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) — is involved, the lesson hits hard.
“When Chawinga initially receives on the left flank with a defender pressuring (but not quite there), she could have run her marker and probably beat her.
“But she would have attracted more defenders and – this is the key point – Chawinga would not have had as much space to serve such a ball.
“The ball got to the perfect spot for the cross before Chawinga. It gave Chawinga the chance to make good. A chance is all any player needs. And the ball doing the work sets up the vast majority of strong chances. Chawinga takes full advantage.
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“One way to teach the lesson — make the lesson natural. It’s a lesson that Chawinga is well to learn: allowing the ball to work for you multiplies your physical gifts. And Chawinga has not only learned it, she has ingrained it.
“Early in the 2024 season, if the Malawi native got the ball, she was most likely driving forward taking on all comers. In Saturday night’s win, receiving and laying the ball off to perhaps get it back was her MO. It will serve her and the Kansas City Current well, eternally,” said the report.
Last month, Daniel Sperry wrote on Yahoo Sports that Kansas City Current struggled to find a breakthrough for more than 75 minutes in their match.
“But Temwa Chawinga ensured the Current broke the record for the NWSL’s longest unbeaten streak while breaking a record of her own — two, actually.
“Chawinga scored two goals, three minutes apart, to give the Current a 2-0 victory. That win keeps the Current atop the NWSL standings and extends the club’s unbeaten streak to a record-breaking 17 games.
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“Chawinga’s goals in the 77th and 80th minute set the record for most goals by a Current player in the NWSL regular season at 11 — and counting as it has only taken her 15 matches.
“The two goals also put her atop the Golden Boot race in the NWSL, with one more goal than Barbra Banda and Sophia Smith.
“One highlight of the first half, though, was Chawinga’s other first. She became the first KC Current player to blast a ball into the Missouri River.
“The crowd roared with cheers for the errant shot; the moment we’ve all been waiting for — the first river goal, scored by none other than Temwa Chawinga.”
