Malawi Women’s Football Team Coach, Lovemore Fazili is upbeat that his charges will perform wonders at this year’s Hollywood Bets COSAFA Women’s Championship.
The Scorchers, who are the defending champions, have left for Gqeberha, South Africa for Hollywood Bets COSAFA Women’s Championship scheduled for October 22 to November 2.
The Scorchers will play on 23, 26 and 28 of October.
Speaking with ProjectM in an interview Fazili said the preparations have gone well.
He said: “We have selected players according to their performance but so far so good. The girls are physically fit and ready to compete.
“We have three international players that are coming, namely Sabina Thom who plays for TP Mazembe in DRC, Vanessa Chikupila who plays for Green Buffalos in Zambia and Mary Chavinda who plays for Rayon in Rwanda. I am very confident that the team will qualify for Afcon.”
Malawi are In Group B alongside Botswana, Madagascar and Mauritius in this year’s record-breaking COSAFA Hollywood Bets Championship.
There are 14 teams that are competing in this year’s tournament, making it the biggest women’s international competition staged in Africa.
Meanwhile Tabitha Chawinga (Lyon-France) striker, Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current-USA) will not be part of this year’s tournament due to commitment issues.
Scorchers will hope to progress from Group B to the semi-finals but face a tough opponent, Botswana side who reached quarter finals of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Other international players that were earmarked include Chioma Okafor of University of Connecticut Usa, Vitumbiko Mkandawire of Green Buffaloes in Zambia and Rose Kabzere of Montpellier in France have been ruled out.
Meanwhile, Asimenye Simwaka, MDF Midfielder, who scored 4 goals in 2022 COSAFA HollywoodBets has expressed optimism that they will do well.
“We have been training hard for this and I am very confident that we will defend the cup. My aim is to surpass my last year’s target,” she said.
During the 2022 tournament, Temwa Chawinga walked away with the Golden boot award having scored 9 goals and Player of the Tournament prize.
Chawinga is currently in the US where she is leading the National Women’s League with 20 goals and making history by becoming the first player in Africa to achieve that.
Attached is the full Scorchers Finals Squad lineup.
