* The match kicked off yesterday when the rains were pouring at Reiz Arena but was abandoned after the pitch became unplayable when Zambia had taken the lead in the 21st minute
* The two teams meet on Tuesday, February 25 on the other FIFA sanctioned day for international friendlies
* Which are being used to prepare for the second round of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) qualifier
* Against winner of either of two COSAFA members, Zimbabwe and Angola to be played in October this year
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi Scorchers have lost 0-2 to Zambia Copper Queens this afternoon in the first of the two FIFA-sanctioned friendly matches, which resumed from 22 minutes of yesterday’s stoppage due to unplayable pitch condition following heavy rains.
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The match kicked off yesterday when the rains were still pouring at Reiz Arena making ball movement difficult due to the heavily waterlogged pitch and after Zambia took the lead in the 21st minute, play was stopped for over 15 minutes.
The players went back to the dressing room and as the waterlogged pitch condition continued to worsen the match was abandoned at 1-0 and resumed from 22 minutes with both teams fielding their unchanged starting XIs.
Updates on official Facebook page of Football Association of Malawi (FAM) indicates that the Copper Queens scored the second goal in the 77th minute through USA’s Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji.
The report says the better part of the first half was dominated by the Copper Queens such that they were awarded a penalty in the 26th after a handball in the 18-yard box.
Israel’s Hapoel Jerusalem’s Rachel Nachula stepped up for the penalty but goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo saved it for the match to go for recess at 1-0.
The Scorchers are reported to have settled well in the second as USA’s Kansas City Current’s striker, Temwa Chawinga went for goal in the 47th minutes but the shot she took flew over the bar.
They kept pushing hard for an equaliser but in the 62nd minute they were dealt with a blow after French side, Montpellier’s Rose Kabzere picked an injury but after receiving treatment, she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Nyasa Big Bullets Women’s Zainab Kapanda.
Ascent Soccer’s Faith Chimzimu went for a long-range effort in the 69th but it drifted wide as the Scorchers reportedly kept pressing hard in wave after wave.
Temwa Chawinga had another chance in the 72nd minute when she broke through the Copper Queens defense but her shot went straight into the goalkeeper’s palms.
The Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili made a second substitution replacing DRC’s TP Mazembe’s Sabina Thom to make way for Silver Strikers Ladies’ Chisomo Banda in the 77th but moments later, Zambia doubled the lead through Kundanaji.
In the 86th minute, goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo was made to make a brilliant save from African Player of the Year 2024, USA’s Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda, who broke through the centre, beating Chimwemwe Madise, but Sikelo denied her with a fantastic save.
The two teams meet on Tuesday, February 25 on the other FIFA sanctioned day for international friendlies, which coach Fazili is using to prepare his side for the second round of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) qualifier against the winner in the tie between Zimbabwe and Angola.
The Scorchers were scheduled to play against Congo in the first round of the qualifiers on Thursday, February 20 at home, with the return leg away on February 25 — thus the two FIFA-sanctioned friendlies to prepare for either of the two COSAFA members, Zimbabwe and Angola to be played in October this year.
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Fazili has a full house for the friendlies just as his counterpart for Zambia and his foreign legion included the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha, who plies for France’s Olympique Lyonnais Féminin); Temwa (Kansas City Current-USA); Rose Kabzere (Montpellier-France), Vannessa Chikupira & Bernadetta Mkandawire (both FC BIIK-Kazygurt-Kazakhstan); Sabina Thom & Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe-DRC).
The domestic league players are goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lioness);
Defenders: Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers Ladies), Rose Alufandika (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Maggie Chavula & Maureen Kenneth (both Ascent Soccer), Tamala Simeza (Blue Eagles Ladies);
Midfielders: Faith Chimzimu & Letticia Chinyamula (both Ascent Soccer), Carloline Mathyola, (Silver Strikers Ladies), Tendai Sani & Zainab Kapanda (both Nyasa Big Bullets), Funny Magombo (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Sarah Mulimbika (Ndirande Soccer Giants);
Joining Tabitha, Temwa and Sabina Thom as strikers are Catherine Kachala (MDF Lioness) and Chisomo Banda (Silver Strikers Ladies).
The Copper Queens’ foreign-based include the African Player of the Year 2024, Barbra Banda; Racheal Kundananji (Bay FC-USA); Lushomo Mweemba & Martha Tembo (both Hakkarigucu-Turkey); Ireen Lungu (Jiangsu-China); Xiomara Mapepa (ZHFK Krylya Sovetov-Russia); Racheal Nachula (Hapoel Jerusalem-Israel) and Kabange Mupopo (Henan Jianye-China).
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