US-based Malawi female football star Temwa Chawinga has been awarded the 2024 golden boot by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) following the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday.
The US women’s top-fight league runners announced in a statement yesterday that after her record-breaking inaugural season, the Scorchers forward finished as top scorer with 20 goals in 25 matches, seven above second-placed Zambian
Barbara Banda of Orlando Pride while Sophia Smith of Portland Thorns, was third with 12 goals.
The NWSL statement further says the 26-year-old becomes “the first African-born player to claim the top scoring honour”.
Temwa (L) and Banda
It reads: “Following a record-breaking first season in the NWSL, Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga has claimed the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot, awarded to the league’s top scorer in the regular season.
“With 20 goals in 25 matches, the new league record holder for goals scored in a single season is the first player in NWSL history to hit the 20-goal mark.”
Temwa surpassed Australian and Chelsea star Sam Kerr’s 18-goal record in October enroute to reaching 20 across the regular season.
The 2023 overall world top scorer also set a record by becoming the first player in the US women’s top-flight to score in eight consecutive games.
That was not all. She also became the first player to score against every opponent in a regular season.
Temwa’s remarkable first campaign in the league includes three braces, a league-leading 26-goal contributions and three separate multi-game goal streaks.
She helped KC Current to a fourth-place finish in the regular season standings.
KC Current were NWSL Championship runners-up in 2022, but earned their first silverware this season, claiming the NWSL Femenil Summer Cup where Temwa scored three additional goals in that tournament.
Temwa could not be reached for comment yesterday, but National Women’s Football Association chairperson Adellaide Migogo described her feat as “out of this world”.
She said: “It has been an incredible debut season for Temwa in the States, breaking records at any given opportunity and then capping it all by winning the golden boot with a yawning seven-point gap.
“She already proved that she is in a world-class star by winning the overall world leading scorer accolade.
“Temwa has flown the Malawi
flag very high and we are proud of her exploits.”
In an interview, Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire said Temwa’s success is worth celebrating.
He said: “We are proud of the records that she and her sister [Tabitha] are setting out there and it is a motivation to up-and-coming players and an inspiration to the girl child.
“We are happy that our efforts to develop women’s football are not in vain. We invest a lot of resources and if we are bearing the fruits, then it is encouraging.”
KC Current will now embark on a journey to NWSL Cup by navigating through the 2024 playoffs. Their first round match against North Carolina Courage is scheduled for Saturday.
Tabitha also won a similar award in France last season while on loan at Women’s First Division side Paris Saint Germain
