Malawi women’s team to camp overseas

 Once underrated Malawi women’s national football team has now become the beacon of hope for the country after an emphatic 11-1 victory over Mozambique and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) wants the team to camp in Europe if it progresses to the third round of 2020 Olympic qualifiers.

Despite getting the lowest funding among all national teams, the women’s football team defied all odds and is all but in the second round where they will face Kenya.

Foreign-based stars Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, who returned to the team after a year’s absence due to club commitments, led the slaughter of the visitors scoring eight goals between them.

Temwa scored five goals, four of which came in the first half, while Tabitha notched a hat-trick and had six assists. Wezzie Mvula scored one goal while substitute Linda Kasenda notched a brace.

The second leg is scheduled for Maputo on Tuesday, and FAM president Walter Nyamilandu who paid a special visit to the girls after the match, has revealed that if the team beats Kenya it will camp overseas.

“We did the same thing with the Under-23 national football team which camped in Belgium. We will also treat the women’s team the same way,” he said.

Nyamilandu also said the association doubled the game bonuses for the team.

“As a token of appreciation for the historic victory against Mozambique, we have doubled the game bonuses for the players. Normally, they get K30 000 each. But now they will receive K60 000 for the first leg against Mozambique and all the other games to come,” he said.

The women’s team is Malawi’s only chance of shining at international stage following dismal performance from the men’s teams in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the joint 2020 Olympics and Under-23 Afcon Under-23 qualifiers.

The FAM boss confessed that they had in the past

given little attention to the women’s national team and that the association would now give them maximum support.

“The team has surpassed our expectation and shown tremendous potential; hence, the need to support them with significant investment and adequate preparations so that it can realise its fullest potential,” said Nyamilandu.

Malawi National Council of Sports administration manager Henry Mereka applauded FAM for the plans, saying they too would render full support to the team.

“The team has made the nation proud and indeed deserves all the support possible. As Sports Council we are ready to support these girls all the way,” he said.

Coach Abel Mkandawire thanked FAM and government for the gesture, saying it will motivate the players to work had.

“We have a very good team. The girls only need motivation and we can qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games. I have already told the girls to forget about the 11-1 win. We will approach the second leg as if we did not win 11-1. We do not even want to draw against Mozambique. We want to win the second leg as well. We are taking each game as it comes so that we qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics,” he said.

If Malawi beats Kenya in the second round they could face Ghana, Gabon or Congo.

Twenty-five teams are participating in the qualifiers. The winner will automatically qualify for 2020 Summer Olympics.

The runner-up will enter a play-off against the second-placed team from South American Football Confederation (Conmebol).