Tabitha maintains 2nd position on rankings
Italy-based Malawian women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga has maintained her position as the second best African woman footballer in ESPN sports channel’s monthly rankings for December 2022.
The channel rates the performance of women footballers and teams worldwide.
The Inter Milan forward trails reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year Nigerian Asiat Oshoala while Spain-based Zambian Rachel Kundananji, who came tops in the previous rankings, has dropped to third.
Tabitha’s sister, Temwa, who came third in the November tankings, has not made the top 10.
Reads part of the statement by ESPN: “This month’s Power Rankings sees an old-timer [Oshoala] return to the top of the standings, while players based in England, Portugal, Italy and France are rewarded for their work, as well as some of the usuals plying their trade in Spain.
It says the Spain-based forward has hit form again for Barcelona after a slow recovery from a long spell on the sidelines through injury.
On Tabitha, ESPN says: “Malawi star Chawinga continued her fine form in December, scoring twice to secure a 2-1 win over Pomigliano.
“Chawinga has scored nine goals in as many Serie A Women games since joining Inter from Wuhan Jiangda, also notching four assists in the league.”
In an interview, Tabitha, who leads the Serie A Women’s scorers’chart, said she was excited to have maintained the second slot.
“I think Oshoala has also done really well and deserves her place on the top. I thank God for His blessings and I will keep on working hard,”she said.
On her part, Temwa said she is not surprised with her omission as the Chinese Superleague concluded in November.
“So, honestly, there was no way I would have still made the top 10,” said the Wuhan Jiangda striker, who won the golden boots for the Chinese Women’s Superleague and Chinese National Cup.
