* Sabina Thom scored three goals overall at last year’s edition, six behind the eventual Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga
* Who netted nine goals and was also voted Player of the Tournament but is not part of squad for the 2024 edition
* Other scorers were 2 each from Leticia Chinyamula and Asimenye Simwaka and one each from Vanessa Chikupira and Carolyne Mathyola — all were in the First XI against Botswana
By Duncan Mlanjira
DR Congo-based attacker, Sabina Thom has finally joined the Malawi Scorchers at the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2024 and today had her first training session with the team at the Saints FC Galvendale.
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This has been reported by Fam.mw, saying she joins the team as they prepare for their second group stage match against Madagascar tomorrow after drawing 1-1 with Botswana in their opener on Wednesday.
Thom, who was one of the influential players in the team’s 2023 glory, missed the first match as she was in transit to South Africa from her host country where she plays for one of Africa’s top teams, TP Mazembe.
The other foreign-based players in coach Lovemore Fazili’s squad are Vannesa Chikupila of Green Buffaloes in Zambia) and Mary Chavinda from Rayon in Rwanda, who were both in the First XI against Botswana.
Fazili is missing out seven top-notch the foreign-based players include sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga; Chimwemwe Madise; Ireen Khumalo; Chioma Okafor, Vitumbiko Mkandawire and Rose Kadzere — who have been ruled out to their club engagements.
Ahead of the match against Botswana, coach Fazili told Fam.mw that the absence of the seven foreign-based players would not affect the team very much as he has taken on board some players whom he believes will fit into the shoes.
“We already had plan B in case they don’t show up and we trust the squad that we have travelled with this time and the team is very strong,” he was quoted as saying.
But the team faced a resilient Botswana side, as according to COSAFA Media in they equalised five minutes to halftime after Faith Chinzimu scored on the half-hour mark.
According to COSAFA Media platform, the Scorchers have had some tough tussles with Botswana down the years, including a 1-1 draw in 2022 and a 0-2 loss in 2018.
Sabina Thom scored three goals overall at last year’s edition, six behind the eventual Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who netted nine goals and was also voted Player of the Tournament.
Other scorers were 2 each from Leticia Chinyamula and Asimenye Simwaka and one each from Vanessa Chikupira and Carolyne Mathyola — all were in the First XI against Botswana.
Ascent Soccer’s Rose Kadzere also scored a goal and assisted four but she is also not part of the squad as the two-time Malawi Player of the Year award winner has just signed for France’s top women’s league side, Montpellier HSC on a three-year deal.
The Scorchers won their COSAFA Women’s Championship title for the first time after beating Zambia 2-1 — recording a 100% winning record as they qualifed for the semifinals having won their group matches before going on to beat Mozambique in the last four.
The Scorchers first beat 2022 finalists and favourites, South Africa’s Banyana-Banyana 4-3 before annihilating eSwatini 8-0 in their second match in which Temwa Chawinga was the star of the show as she netted four to become the top scorer with 7 goals as she set her sights for the Golden Boot she finally won.
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Fazili’s full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens), Yamikani Kawonga (MDF Lioness);
Defenders: Patricia Nyirenda (MDF Lioness), Bernadetta Mkandawire (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Faith Chizimu, Maggie Chavula & Maureen Kenneth (all Ascent Soccer), Rose Alufandika (Kukoma Ntopwa Women);
Midfielders: Letticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer), Carolyne Mathyola (Silver Strikers Ladies), Sara Mulimbika (Ndirande Soccer Giants), Funny Magombo (Kukoma Ntopwa Women), Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lioness), Lyna James, Tendai Sani & Pilirani Malora (all Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Jessie Yosefe (Civil Service Women);
Strikers: Vannesa Chikupila (Green Buffaloes-Zambia), Mary Chavinda (Rayon-Rwanda), Sabina Thom (TP Mazembe-DRC), Chisomo Banda (Silver Strikers Ladies), Catherine Kachala (MDF Lioness).
