Tabitha Chawinga bags brace
Malawi Women’s national football team captain Tabitha Chawinga netted a brace as her Chinese side Jiang Sunning beat their under-17 boys 3-0 in a practice match on Saturday.
The Chinese Women’s Super League is yet to start due to the Covid-19 pandemic but might start within three months as teams have resumed training.
Tabitha said there was glimmer of hope of football return in China.
“It feels great to start playing football after several months of without kick a ball. Although, it was a practice match but there is hope that football might return soon in China. I am in great shape and ready for the season. I will continue from where I left last season,” she said.
The former DD Sunshine striker helped her side to win all four trophies in China including the league. For second consecutive year, Tabitha finished as the top goal scorer in the Chinese Women’s Super League with 12 goals, five below her debut season. But she also won the top goal scorer award in the Chinese Women’s Cup and FA Cup with 15 goals and nine goals, respectively.
Scorchers assistant coach Andrew Chikhosi who is also DD Sunshine coach, said Tabitha was a true professional footballer.
“I like her altitude on and off the pitch. She gives 100 percent performance all the time. Tabitha has good future and other players should emulate her fighting spirit,” Chikhosi said.
Tabitha’s young sister Temwa joined Wuhan Jianghan University FC in January this year but her debut has been delayed due to Covid-19.
Tabitha was also nominated for the Caf African Women’s footballer of the year for three consecutive years but missed the continental award to Nigerian Asisat Oshoola.
