Malawi women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga scored a first-half brace to guide Olympique Lyonnais Féminin to a commanding 3-0 win over Le Havre AC Women in the French Feminine Première Ligue at Groupama Stadium on Tuesday.
She now has 11 goals in thirteen matches, while also contributing three assists.
Tabitha’s opening goal came in the 26th minute when she timed her run perfectly to meet a precise through ball from Melchie Dumornay, calmly slotting it past the Le Havre goalkeeper, Laëtitia Philippe, giving Lyon an early advantage.
Just before halftime (45+1’), Tabitha struck again, once more linking up with Dumornay to exploit a small gap in the defense, firing home from a tight angle to put the hosts firmly in control.
The final goal came in the 86th minute from captain Wendie Renard, who headed in a corner to seal the victory, but it was Tabitha’s clinical first-half display that defined the match.
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On the European stage, Tabitha has scored two goals in five Uefa Women’s Champions League appearances, proving she can perform against top continental opponents.
She has also scored in domestic cup competitions, adding two more goals, bringing her total across all competitions this season to 13 goals.
Her first-half brace against Le Havre highlighted all her strengths: clinical finishing, intelligent positioning, and impeccable timing.
With Lyon controlling 74 percent of possession and generating numerous scoring chances, Tabitha ensured the team fully capitalized on its dominance, turning a strong performance into a decisive victory.q
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After Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Le Havre, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin remained at the top of the French Première Ligue Féminine table, leading Paris FC Women by 16 points, both having played 16 matches each, maintaining a competitive but distant chase for the top spot.
Lyon have scored 61 goals while conceding only seven.
Meanwhile, National Women’s Football Association Chairperson Adellaide Migogo described Tabitha as a complete athlete.
“This is good for her confidence for both her team and the Scorchers who will be playing at Wafcon finals in Morocco later this year. Let me urge all other players both local and foreign based to emulate the never say die spirit demonstrated by Tabitha. She always aims to make a difference when called for duty,” Migogo said.
