Tabitha surprised with Temwa’s exclusion
France-based women’s football icon says she was surprised with the exclusionof her sister Temwa from the list of nominees for the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Women’s Footballer of the Year Award.
Tabitha made the list alongside Zambian duo of Barbara Banda and Rachael Kundananji.
In an interview yesterday, the Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Women’s forward said: “I am not saying this because she is my sister, but considering what she achieved last year, I thought she would easily make the list.
“I was shocked, but we just have to live everything in God’s hands. Maybe the organisers have their reasons.”
On her nomination, the Scorchers captain said: “I am happy for the recognition, it means a lot to me.”
On how she rates her chances, the 27-year-old said: “Well…it’s tight, but let’s see how it goes. I am up against equally good players.”
Temwa, who now plays for US National Women’s Soccer League side Kansas City Current, downplayed her exclusion in an interview on Thursday.
She said: “I am not bitter and I have taken it well. God’s time is the best. It’s the way it is, we have to respect the organisers’ decision.
“Probably, there are factors they considered to determine the nominees and maybe that is why I am not there.
“I just want to congratulate the nominees and wish them all the best.”
Among her achievemts last year, Temwa won the world’s top scorer accolade with 63 goals, nine more than men’s winner and Portuguse superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 25-year-old was named the Cosafa Women’s Championship Player of the Tournament and won the competition’s golden boot as she inspired the Scorchers to win their first-ever regional championship.
She also won the Chinese Women’s Super League, Chinese Women’s FA Cup and Chinese Women’s National Cup golden boots. All these tournaments were won by her former team Wuhan Jiangda.
In all the Chinese Women’s Super League, she scored 15 goals more than Banda, who was her runner-up and had made the Cosafa nominees’ list.
But Banda and Kundananji played vital roles in Zambia’s Copper Queens’ qualification for the Women’s World Cup, Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and, more recently the 2024 Paries Olympics.
The inaugural Cosafa awards are scheduled for April 19 in Durban, South Africa.
Apart from Tabitha, three other Malawian women’s footballers that have been nominated are Mercy Sikelo, Leticia Chinyamula and Rose Kabzere.
Sikelo has been nominated for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award while Chinyamula and Kabzere are among the three nominees for the Women’s Most Promising Player Award.
