Malawi National Women’s Football Team Coach Lovemore Fazili is upbeat that his charges will impress at this year’s Hollywood Bets Cosafa Women’s Championship.
The Scorchers are expected to leave this morning through Chileka International Airport in Blantyre after Fazili released his final 23-member squad for the 2023 championship to take place in Gauteng, South Africa, between October 4 and 15.
Fazili said the squad has been picked based on training performance.
“The competition for places was quite stiff. However, we had to make a decision according to their [players] performance and our game plan,” he said.
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Scorchers warmed up for the event in good spirits, having twice defeated Seychelles by 17-0 margins in international friendlies at Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe Township, Blantyre.
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However, Fazili refused to get carried away with the results, saying he was concentrating on teamwork and coordination.
According to a press statement from Football Association of Malawi (Fam), the squad has eight new faces, with goalkeepers Esther Maulidi and Martha Cosmas making it to the final list in their debut senior team call-up.
The statement indicates that Ascent Academy’s Maggie Chavula, Faith Chinzimu and Leticia Chinyamula, Ntopwa’s Rose Alufandika and Funny Magombo as well as Ndirande Soccer Giants’ Sarah Mlimbika are the others.
The Scorchers are in Group A alongside South Africa, eSwatini and Madagascar. They will play their first match against the hosts, South Africa, on Wednesday before facing eSwatini on Saturday. The team’s last group stage match against Madagascar will be on October 10.
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Below is the full squad:
Goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Ntopwa FC), Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens), Martha Cosmas (Civil Service Women)
Defenders: Mary Major, Patricia Nyirenda (MDF Lionesses), Rose Alufandika (Ntopwa FC), Maggie Chavula, Faith Chinzimu (Ascent Academy), Chimwemwe Madise (Elite Ladies- Zambia), Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers Ladies), Bernadettar Mkandawire (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women)
Midfielders: Funny Magombo (Ntopwa FC); Rose Kabzere, Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Academy); Lyna James (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Carolyn Mathyola, Madyina Nguluwe (Silver Strikers Ladies); Sarah Mlimbika (Ndirande Soccer Giants)
Strikers: Chikondi Gondwe (Silver Strikers Ladies), Vanessa Chikupira (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Temwa Chawinga (Wuhan Jianghan University- China); Sabina Thom (TP Mazembe-DRC), Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses).
