Tabitha has earned several awards at COSAFA tournaments before
* However, Ascent Soccer and Malawi Scorchers forward Leticia Chinyamula is voted forward Most Promising Player
* Egyptian club Al Alhly’s South African star, Percy Tau crowned men’s Best Player of the Year
By Duncan Mlanjira
At club level in Europe, Tabitha Chawinga is winning hearts of fans that saw her winning the Golden Boot having scored 23 goals in 21 matches in 2023 whilst with Italian Serie A Femminile side Inter Milan Women — but at international level, the accolades keep eluding her.
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She has been nominated five times for the CAF Women Player of the year but Nigerian Asisat Oshoala got the most votes — probably because Tabitha hasn’t made a huge contribution to the Scorchers she is captain of.
On top of that, Tabitha was named in 2023 Best Africa XI by FIFpro alongside Asisat Oshoala and Zambian Barbara Banda, who plays for Shanghai Shengli in China was also in the top three of the nominees for the women’s African Player of Year.
She has just missed the inaugural Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s Player of the Year held yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa that went to Zambian sensation, Racheal Kundananji.
Kundananji was in Zambia’s squad that left a huge mark at the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year — thus stronger votes going towards her.
Consolation for Malawi through Leticia Chinyamula
Meanwhile, the men’s Player of the Year award went to South Africa and Egyptian giants, Al Ahly star, Percy Tau for his consistent and top performances for both club and country.
South African club, Mamelodi Sundowns, that won the inaugural African Football League title, took away three awards — men’s Coach of the Year (Rulani Mokwena); men’s Goalkeeper of the Year (Ronwen Williams); Most Promising Player (Thapelo Maseko) and Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year (Andile Dlamini) who was instrumental in her club’s recent CAF Women’s Champions League title.
Other awards for South Africa were through Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis as the best Women’s Coach of the Year while seasoned commentator and revered African football journalist, Mark Gleeson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement in Services to Media for his years of services in African football.
Other awards include Referee of the Year (Angola’s Jerson Dos Santos for men); Zambia’s Diana Chikotesha (women’s); Madagascar’s Tsiaro Randriambololoma (Most Promising Referee); South Africa’s Victor Gomes (COSAFA Legend); Janine van Wyk (Lifetime Achievement in Services as a Player); Felix Tangawarima (Lifetime Achievement in Services to Refereeing); Fran Hilton-Smith (Lifetime Achievement in Services to Women Football) and Sunday Chidzambwa (Lifetime Achievement in Services to coaching).
Ascent Soccer’s Rose Kabzere (top) and Mercy Sikelo
Meanwhile, four other Malawians were nominated for the awards, Leticia Chinyamula & Rose Kabzere for women’s Promising Player of the Year — that went to Chinyamula — while Mercy Sikelo for Goalkeeper of the Year with young referee Wyson Mustafa as a nominee for the Most Promising Referee category.
Perhaps Tabitha needs more engagements with the Scorchers to enhance her visibility of achievements but unfortunately, the team she captains play few internationals.
However, at its executive meeting last week, Football Association of Malawi resolved that the Scorchers should play more international friendly games during by utilizing FIFA Women’s international window — starting in July.
In a report by Sport News Africa, Tabitha has been declared as a candidate for this year’s Ballon d’Or for women as she is “winning over everyone in France”.
“After Sweden, China and Italy, it’s now France’s turn to take their hats off to the patented goalscorer, who becomes the top scorer and/or player wherever she goes. She’s well on her way to finishing as France’s top scorer.
“Many French technicians are spellbound by the performances of Tabitha Chawinga,” said the report, adding that “she’s making life miserable for defences in the French league”.
“In her first season in France, Tabitha Chawinga is putting in a top-flight performance that is impressing the league’s technicians. What’s more, the Wuhan Jianghan University (China) player is making a name for herself in the Champions League with Paris.”
Sport News Africa quotes David Fanzel, sporting director of FC Fleury 91, and a keen observer of women’s soccer, as saying the 27-year-old “is walking on water at the moment. Since the resumption in January, she’s been decisive — she scores and gets goals.
“When you’re a striker, stats are important. But it’s also the impression of power and confidence she gives out on the pitch.”
Another technical expert, Dijon manager Sylvain Carric is is also quoted by L’Equipe as saying: “At the moment, she’s the best because the figures speak for her, quite simply. But there’s still the impression she gives. We all know that her depth is incredible. No matter how hard we try to work on it, we just can’t find the solution at the moment.
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“When you see the speed she’s going at, no one can catch her. Then there’s her speed of execution and the power of her supports, very low, very toned. It’s impressive — she’s clearly PSG’s lethal weapon, their driving force.”
Another technical expert Jean-Louis Saez pointed out that PSG’s quality helps her to perform well but “even so, this does not detract from her talent and, above all, her versatility — one of her strengths.
“But you also have to bear in mind that she’s expressing herself in a team that’s performing well at the moment. It would be denigrating to the PSG collective to talk only about her.”
Tabitha’s club coach, Jocelyn Prêcheur agrees with Saez and is quoted as saying he is not keen to single out just one player in his squad but the Malawians “is feeling good at the moment, and that’s reflected in her good performances. But she’s the first to say that if she can finish the action, it’s because the group puts her in those situations too.”
Unfortunately for Chawinga, says Sport News Africa, PSG — at 45 points — are seven points away from French women league leaders, Lyon (52 points) and well on the way to winning the championship once again.
To add salt to injury, Lyon beat PSG 5-3 on aggregate — 2-1 in the second leg of the semifinal of the Women’s Champions League on April 28.
Tabitha in action against Lyon on April 28