Silver Strikers Ladies’ run in their debut Caf Women’s Champions League/Cosafa qualifier campaign has been hailed as a success despite the Malawian side missing out on a place at the continental finals.
The Central Bankers finished fourth at the just-ended tournament in Botswana after suffering a 4-0 defeat to hosts Gaborone United Ladies in a third-place playoff on Saturday.
Despite missing out on a top-three finish, Silver made history by becoming the first Malawian women’s team to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
Their achievement came after previous unsuccessful attempts by Kukoma Ntopwa Women and Ascent Academy, who failed to progress beyond the group stage.
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Silver opened their Group B campaign on a positive note, beating Mozambique’s Costa do Sol 2-1 before losing 3-0 to South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns Women.
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The Malawian side responded strongly in its final group match, thrashing fellow debutants Nsingizini Hotspurs of eSwatini 5-1 to secure a place in the semi-finals.
However, their run ended in the last four when they lost 2-1 to Zambia’s Zesco Ndola Girls on Thursday.
Silver Head Coach Patricio Kulemeka believes the campaign was a success despite the team finishing outside the top three.
“I am proud of what we have achieved so far. This was our first time here and we hope we will come back stronger. We will go back home and do the work. We will make sure we play well locally, defend the championship and make sure we come here again,” Kulemeka said.
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Silver qualified for the Cosafa qualifier after winning the inaugural National Bank of Malawi Women’s Premiership, recording 16 victories from 18 matches.
Their historic run was ultimately ended by Zesco Ndola Girls, who went on to finish as runners-up after losing 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns Women in the final.
Sundowns were crowned champions and secured the Cosafa region’s place at the Caf Women’s Champions League finals after defeating Zesco 2-1 in the final.
The tournament was Silver’s first competitive action since their last league match in January, a lengthy period that analysts believe could have affected their preparedness.
Football analyst Tadala Manda described Silver’s run as a milestone for women’s football in Malawi, saying the performance had demonstrated that local clubs could compete at regional level when given the opportunity and adequate preparation.
“Silver have set a benchmark for other Malawian teams. Reaching the semi-finals on their debut shows that our women’s football has potential. The most important thing now is to build on this performance rather than treating it as a one-off achievement,” Manda said.
