* She assisted the second goal in Green Buffaloes’ 5-0 win over Elite Ladies and missed two chances by a whisker
* The immensely talented left-footed winger is expected to add great value to the team as the club continues its push for the league title
* Her pace, creativity and attacking ability make her an exciting addition to the squad—says the club
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawis Scorchers’ midfielder, Sarah Mlimbika, who this week joined Zambia’s Green Buffaloes Women FC on a two-year contract, made a huge impact in her debut match of he host country’s Women’s Super League encounter, in which she assisted the second goal in the 5-0 win over Elite Ladies.
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According to Green Buffaloes Women Media, the 18-year-old, who has been poached from Ndirande Soccer Giants, started and last the whole 90 minutes, after impressing on the left midfield, where she earned a free kick after being fouled in the 33rd minute before assisting Natasha Nanyangwe in the 40th.
Nanyangwe took the team in the lead in the 15th minute before Mlimbika’s assist and her hat-trick in the 89th, which is her 12th goal of the season.
The report highlighted that Mlimbika troubled her opponents a lot and nearly scored twice, first in the 49th when her shot from an acute angle narrowly went over the bar and again in the 66th when she was a whisker away from scoring on her debut.
Green Buffaloes Women’s FC is Zambia’s women’s professional club affiliated to men’s African football top side, Green Buffaloes based in Lusaka, which is sponsored by the Zambian Army.
The club’s media described Mlimbika as an “immensely talented left-footed winger, who is expected to add great value to the team as the club continues its push for the league title”.
“Her pace, creativity and attacking ability make her an exciting addition to the squad,” said the club, while taking cognizance that the young star has represented Malawi at all age groups, having featured for the U17 and U20 sides and made her debut for the senior Scorchers in 2023.
She was also part of the Scorchers’ squad that won their first-ever international title, the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2023 in South Africa — playing at club level for Ndirande Soccer Giants and for Ntopwa Women, where she gained valuable experience.
“Her arrival at Green Buffaloes Women reflects the club’s commitment to strengthening the squad with young and promising talent from across the region,” said the club Media. “The technical bench believes her versatility and determination will contribute positively.”
Meanwhile, Mlimbika has made the cut for coach Lovemore Fazili’s 35-member provisional Scorchers squad the 4-Nations FIFA Series in Kenya scheduled from April 11-15 featuring the hosts, world women football giants, Australia and India.
Fazili has also included US-based versatile forward, Temwa Chawinga, who has recovered from an injury sustained in October and was officially-removed-from-the-club’s-season-ending-injury-list/ just yesterday — who last featured for the Scorchers in February 2025 against Zambia.
The coach also included Ascent Soccer forward Fatima Lali, who impressed during the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Guinea Bissau, while maintaining the core of 23 players who featured at the COSAFA Women’s Championship earlier this year.
The Scorchers are scheduled to face Australia on April 11, with the winner advancing to the final to meet either hosts Kenya or India four days later — with the losing teams to contest for the third-place playoff.
The squad, whose domestic league based players began camp on Wednesday, April 1 at Mpira Village in Blantyre, is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa), Thoko Mwase (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lionesses), Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens);
Defenders: Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe, DRC); Rose Alufandika (Kukoma Ntopwa); Maureen Kenneth &
Maggie Chavula (Ascent Soccer),Doreen Dickson (MDF Lionesses), Bernadetta Mkandawire (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Taonga Phiri & Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers Ladies), Olivia Phikani (Kukoma Ntopwa), Gladys Joseph (Civil Service Women), Shilla Mangani (Mighty Wanderers Queens);
Midfielders: Madyina Ngulube & Chikondi Gondwe (Silver Strikers Ladies), Lyna James (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses), Jessie Yosefe & Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service Women) Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer), Rose Kabzere (Montpellier, France), Faith Chimzimu (BK Haken FC, Sweden), Sarah Mlimbika (Green Buffaloes, Zambia), Tendai Sani (ZISD, Zambia), Vanessa Chikupila (Palm Hills Sports Club, USA), Funny Magombo (Kukoma Ntopwa);
Forwards: Tabitha Chawinga (Olympique Lyon, France), Mary Chavinda (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Chisomo Banda (Konkola Blades, Zambia), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current, USA), Fatima Lali (Ascent Soccer), Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers Ladies), Sabina Thom (Phoenix Feminin, Morocco).
