* Goals were from France-based Rose Kabzere; and DRC’s TP Mazembe Women’s Sabina Thom
* The Copper Queens were first to score as early as the 5th minute through USA-based Racheal Kundananji (Bay FC)
* Temwa Chawinga was not part of the squad as she returned to the USA today as per the arrangement between FAM and her club
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi national women’s football team, the Scorchers today won 3-2 in the second of two FIFA-sanctioned friendly match against their hosts, Zambia, making up for the 0-2 loss in their encounter that started on Saturday, February 22 and ended the following day.
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The first of the two friendlies on Saturday ended in the 21st minute after the Copper Queens has scored from a free kick but was called off due to a waterlogged pitch following a heavy downpour that started before the match and never stopped — prompting it to be abandoned.
It was rescheduled for Sunday and started from 22nd minute where it stopped the previous day and after maintaining the 1-0 lead, the Copper Queens scored the second through their top foreign-based star, Racheal Kundananji of Bay FC, USA.
According to updates on the official Facebook page of Football Association of Malawi (FAM), Kundananji was back to haunt the Scorchers again when she scored as early as the 5th minute in the second friendly today.
But the Scorchers, who were without striker, Temwa Chawinga as she returned to the USA today as per the arrangement made between FAM with her club, Kansas City Current, fought on.
According to the bullets report, head coach, Lovemore Fazili made a double substitution in the 22nd minute, bringing in DRC’s TP Mazembe Women’s Sabina Thom and and France’s Montpellier’s Rose Kabzere for midfielders, Sarah Mulimbika (Ndirande Soccer Giants) and Caroline Mathyola (Silver Strikers Ladies).
The report further said the changes stabilised and galvanised the Scorchers as they upped the tempo pushing for an equaliser but it never came as they went for halftime trailing 0-1.
Two minutes from resumption, Rose Kabzere equalised with a thunderous strike from outside the 18-yard box and six minutes later (53rd) Fazili made another double substitution — taking out midfielders Nyasa Big Bullets Zainab Kapanda and Funny Magombo of Kukoma Ntopwa Women to make way for other midfielders, Ascent Academy’s Leticia Chinyamula and Tendai Sani of Nyasa Big Bullets.
Three minutes later (56) Chintamula’s teammate at Ascent Soccer, Faith Chimzimu sent the Scorchers in the lead with a brilliant run through the centre, finishing it at the bottom corner.
Two minutes later (58th) substitute Sabina Thom made it 3-2 with a stunning finish from a beautiful pass by captain Tabitha Chawinga, sister to Temwa who plies her trade at France’s Olympique Lyonnais Féminin.
The Zambians then pulled one back in the 80th but the match went the Scorchers way at 3-2 after playing out 9 minutes of added time due to injury stoppages, one of which was in the 85 when defender Maureen Kenneth of Ascent Soccer and was stretchered off — replaced by Ascent Soccer teammate, Maggie Chavula.
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According to FAM, the match was supposed to kickoff at 15h00 but was adjusted to 11h30 in light of weather forecast which predicted heavy rains in Lusaka in the afternoon.
Coach Fazili told Fam.mw ahead of the match yesterday that he was confident the girls will get a result, saying while the team was in good shape, his main concern was defending set plays as they conceded both goals of the first match from dead-ball situations.
He thus emphasised to the strikers the need to be more clinical if they were to break through Zambia’s defense having addressed their weaknesses in training — as well as analysing the Zambia’s vulnerabilities to capitalise on.
Coach Fazili has use the friendlies to assess and 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.
Fazili had 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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