Tabitha in ItalySerie A best six
Malawi women’s football export Tabitha Chawinga has been named in Italian Women’s Serie A best six players.
This feat adds on the Golden Boot she won with Inter Milan Women.
The Scorchers captain is among the six most valuable players (MVPs) of the season awardees alongside best player Emilie Haavi of Roma, best midfielder Julia Grosso of Juventus, best defender Elena Linali of Roma, best goalkeeper Francesca Durante of Inter Milan and best under-21 Chiara Beccari of FC Como.
According to the league’s website, one is considered for the awards based on the Opta statistical index, which takes into account all the individual and team parameters of a player, her data in relation to her role and the impact on her performances.
This means apart from scoring goals in the league, Chawinga also had to be outstanding in other aspects such as assists, attempts at goal and dribbles.
The website explains about the Scorchers’ captain: “In her first year in Italy, she became the top scorer in Serie A with 23 goals in 23 matches played. Chawinga was involved in 30 goals in Serie A 22/23, at least nine more than any other player in the recently concluded competition.
“She is the player who has played the most balls in the opponents’ penalty area in the league [211]; moreover, only Giacinti [44] has hit the target more times than the Nerazzurri [36].”
Chawinga, who has just returned home after her loan spell at Inter, yesterday said she could not describe her excitement with the sweet news.
“I really do not know what to say other than expressing my happiness. This is a big motivation for me ahead of my next assignments,” she said
So far, the 27-year-old has become the first African to put her name on the list of prestigious individual awardees in Italian Women’s Serie A.
Chawinga, who scored her first goal for Inter Milan in the 4-1 win over Parma nine months ago, got her 23rd goal of the season as her team lost 2-1 Roma last month.
