Malawi Scorchers’ title defence of COSAFA Women’s Championship set for October 22-November 2

* The Scorchers had fruitful eight-day training camp mid July at Chiwembe Village in preparation for the title defence

* The opportunity gave coach Lovemore Fazili a good picture of the players ahead of upcoming international assignments

By Duncan Mlanjira

Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) have confirmed the dates of the COSAFA Women’s Championship to be played from October 22-November 2 in Gqeberha, South Africa.

Thus, the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2023 champions, are set to defend their title in Gqeberha, which COSAFA said has become its traditional home over the last few years.

Malawi Scorchers had fruitful eight-day training camp mid July at Chiwembe Village, from which coach Lovemore Fazili said the opportunity gave him a good picture of the players who are ready for upcoming international assignments.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) used Women’s FIFA Window between July 8-16 to prepare the team for their title defence — their first time together since winning the 2023 edition.

They won the title having beaten Zambia in the final after following their four other tournament wins over hosts from South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar and eSwatini.

Fazili is quoted by Fam.mw last month as saying the training camp was an important exercise to assess the girls after a long period and applauded FAM for granting him the opportunity.

“It has helped us a lot, considering we have been idle for close to eight months without any activity,” he was quoted as saying. “We had 31 players, and they did well in training giving us a picture of who are ready if we sure to go into international assignments.

“We would appreciate to be having this sessions on regular basis so that we continue building on the progress we made last.”

Ahead of the training camp, FAM also indicate that the team might also be accorded an international strength-testing match during the September FIFA international window.

COSAFA also confirmed the dates of the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA qualifier to be staged at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre from August 15-24, which COSAFA described as “a welcome return to a city that has proven a wonderful host to COSAFA [tournaments]”.

Malawi is being represented by FAM-Goshen City National Women’s champions, Ascent Soccer — in their debut appearance in which they are in Group B alongside Gaborone United Ladies (Botswana), Uniao Despotiva de Lichinga (Mozambique) and eSwatini’s Young Buffaloes.

They will first meet Young Buffaloes on August 16 from 15h00 at Mpira Stadium before meeting UD de Lichinga two days later, August 18 and Gaborone United on August 20 as Ascent Soccer seek to reach new heights with the advantage of playing in front of their own fans.

Gaborone United, União Desportiva de Lichinga and Ascent Soccer are three debutantes at this edition while eSwatini’s Young Buffaloes are appearing for the third time.

Group A has South Africa’s University of Western Cape FC; 2022 winners, Green Buffaloes from Zambia, Herentals Queens from Zimbabwe and FC Ongos Ladies from Namibia — in what COSAFA describes as tough group.

University of Western Cape and Herentals Queens are also making their first appearances in the regional qualifiers.

The top two teams in each of the groups advance to the semifinals, with only the winner of the competition advancing to the continental finals later this year, where two-time African champions Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified as holders.

In the Scorchers’ training camp, Ascent Soccer contributed defender Alinafe Majora; striker Rose Kabzere; midfielder Leticia Chinyamula — who was honoured with the Most Promising Women’s Player at the COSAFA Awards 2023.

Meanwhile, FAM is committed to develop women’s football and will continue investing in the game, said competitions & marketing committee chairperson Felister Dossi at the launch of the 2024 Goshen-FAM Women’s Regional Leagues at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.

Fam.mw quoted Dossi as saying: “The women’s football game is growing at a very fast rate and as FAM, we are committing to continue  supporting the game and see it take Malawi far.”

The league is also giving players more exposure and possible inclusion into the final Scorchers’ squad for the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2024.

In its press statement, COSAFA also confirmed other developments, as the regional grouping is set for busy second half of 2024 with several tournaments at all age-group levels from Under-15 to senior international football on the horizon, many of them continental qualifiers.

This follows the success of the COSAFA Cup and Beach Soccer Championships and there are six more tournament scheduled between now and December — including COSAFA Women’s Championship 2024 and the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA qualifier in Blantyre.

The regional qualifiers for the CAF African Schools Football Championship are to be staged on the coast of Namibia from September 5-8, where the best Under-15 boys and girls from around Southern Africa will vie for a place in the continental finals — whose current African champions in the girls’ competition are South Africa.

There will be another continental preliminary competition when the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations-COSAFA qualifier to played from September 25 to October 6.

Mozambique will play host to the CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations -COSAFA qualifier which is to be staged from December 5-15 while the

COSAFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, an AFCON qualifier, will also be played in Mozambique over the same dates.—Info from COSAFA & Fam.mw