Scorchers and Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga has once again etched her name into USA’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) history after being crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) on Wednesday during the league’s awards gala in San Jose, California, for the second consecutive season.
She beat four other nominees, including teammate Bia Zaneratto, San Diego’s Delphine Cascarino, Gotham’s Esther González and North Carolina’s Manaka Matsukubo after a weighted voting process involving players, coaches, the media and fans.
In her acceptance speech, Temwa described her achievement as a dream come true.
She said: “Thank you so much to the coaches, players and the fans who voted for me. It’s a big dream to be here to win this twice in two seasons. I really appreciate.
“To the other finalists in this category, all the best, next year is also another chapter. We just have to move forward.”
The awards marked yet another milestone for Temwa in her second season which also saw her defending the Golden Boot with 15 goals.
With this latest accolade, she becomes the first player in the league’s history to win back-to-back MVP awards.
National Women’s Football Association chairperson Adellaide Migogo said other players should learn from Temwa’s hard-working spirit.
She said: “I am speechless. Temwa has shown that in life we should not be contented with what we have already achieved.
“Last season, she won the two awards. This season she has managed to win them again. She was not contented with what she achieved last season and wanted to do more.
“This is what other players can learn from Temwa. Do not get satisfied with what you have today. Always work hard to achieve more in life.”
This season, Chawinga tallied 15 goals and three assists in 23 appearances.
She also became the fastest player to reach 25 regular-season goals, doing so in just 34 matches.
Temwa then shattered another record by reaching 30 goals in only 40 games.
The player also became the first to score in her first four regular-season matches against two different clubs and again by netting in seven straight matches.
Six of her 15 goals were match-winners, tying her own league record, while her eight-game scoring streak matched another benchmark she set last season.
Her heroics helped power the Kansas City Current to a record-breaking campaign, including league highs in points at 65 with 21 wins and the club’s first-ever NWSL Shield in which she scored her 13th goal.
The industrious campaign saw her being named NWSL Player of the Month in March and May.
Temwa’s impact was also felt on the global stage as she earned her first-ever Ballon d’Or nomination, finishing 17th.
She also secured nominations for both the CAF Women’s Player of the Year and Best Fifa Women’s Player.
Football Association of Malawi competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said Temwa has proved that Malawi women’s football is on the rise.
He said: “It’s a big statement for Malawi football on the world stage. We take pride in her achievements. We are happy this is happening a few months before Women’s Africa Cup of Nations [Wafcon].
“It is big confidence boost for her and the team to be recognised as such. We believe that she will be our trump card at Wafcon.”
