NBM Women’s Premiership leaders Silver Strikers and runners-up Ascent Soccer contribute 4 players each in Scorchers squad against Angola

* Including top goalscorer, Silver Ladies’ Deborah Henry alongside goalkeeper Ireen Sibande and defenders Ireen Khumalo & Justina Jombo

* Ascent Soccer contribute Maggie Chavula, Maureen Kenneth, Letticia Chinyamula and Fatima Lali

* Among the foreign-based legion, two are Ascent graduates, Rose Kabzere (Montpellier, France) and Faith Chimzimu (BK Hacken, Sweden)

By Duncan Mlanjira

Silver Strikers Ladies, who are leading in the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership on a 100% winning streak, have contributed four players in the Malawi Scorchers’ 32-member provisional squad to prepare for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) qualifying matches against Angola next week.

They include the NBM Premiership’s leading top scorer with 10 goals, Deborah Henry alongside goalkeeper, Ireen Sibande and defenders Ireen Khumalo and Justina Jombo.

Runners-up Ascent Soccer have also contributed four players, defenders Maggie Chavula and Maureen Kenneth; midfielder Letticia Chinyamula and striker Fatima Lali  and among the foreign-based legion, two are Ascent graduates, Rose Kabzere (Montpellier, France) and Faith Chimzimu (BK Hacken, Sweden).

Nyasa Big Bullets Women, who are 4th on the NBM Premiership log table also have four — goalkeeper Thoko Mwase, defender Benadetta Mkandawire and midfielders Zainab Kapanda, Sharon Dzimau.

The foreign-based legions include Chawinga sisters, Tabitha (Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, France) and Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current, USA) — alongside Chisomo Banda (Konkola Blades Queens, Zambia), versatile attacker Vanessa Chikupila (Biik Kazygurt, Kazakhstan) and defender, Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe, DRC).

The rest of the provisional squad are goalkeepers Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lionesses); defenders Rose Alufandika & Olivia Phikani (Kukoma Ntopwa), Doreen Dickson (MDF Lionesses) and Shilla Mangani (Mighty Wanderers Queens).

Midfielders are Tendai Sani (ZISD), Funny Magombo & Sarah Mulimbika (Ntopwa), Funny Moyo (Wanderers Queens) and forwards Sabina Thom, Asimenye Simwaka & Catherine Kachala (MDF Lioness) (MDF Lioness) (MDF Lioness), Chisomo Banda (Konkola Blades Queens) Fatima Lali (Ascent Soccer Academy) Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers Ladies).

Scorchers is preparing for Angola for the first leg away on Thursday, October 23, before hosting the return fixture on Tuesday, October 28, at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe — whose winners will qualify for the WAfCON 2026.

If the coach Lovemore Fazili’s squad triumph over Angola, it will be a great milestone that would mark the Scorchers’ first-ever qualification to the prestigious continental showpiece.

The coach was given eight opportunities to work around his players through  international friendlies against Zambia, South Africa, Morocco, Uganda and Lesotho — losing 0-2 and winning 3-2 in two games against Zambia in February and losing 0-4 on aggregate (0-2 each in two games) against South Africa in April.

They went on to lose 2-4 against Morocco in June in a match the Scorchers led 2-0 up until the 40th minute from goals by France-based captain, Tabitha in the 27th minute from the penalty spot and from another France-based Kabzere eight minutes later (35’).

But in the 40th, Bernadettar Mkandawire scored an own goal as she was trying to clear the ball from the line and from there the hosts opened the floodgates to score three more in 42’, 56’ and in added time.

A few days later still in Morocco, they lost 1-3 to Ghana in their 6th international friendly and again, the Scorchers went ahead in the 15th minute through Tendai Sani but went on to lose 1-3 — goals conceded in 23’, 32’ and 81’; while against Lesotho played at Mpira Stadium, Asimenye Simwaka scored 5 goals in two 3-0 victories.