Malawi has earned four nominations for the upcoming 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards set for Marrakesh, Morocco on December 11.
The national women’s football team, the Scorchers have been nominated for the Women’s Team of the Year Award while forwards Tabitha Chawinga and her sister Temwa are nominees for the Player of the Year category.
The team’s coach Lovemore Fazili has been nominated for the Women’s Football Coach of the Year accolade.
Temwa, Fazili and Scorchers’ nominations are a result of the team’s recent success at the 2023 Cosafa Women’s Championship in South Africa where they won the title after beating holders Zambia’s Copper Queens.
China-based Temwa won the Golden Boot as well as the Player of the Tournament awards at the Cosafa Women’s Championship.
Tabitha has also been in top form at her new club PSG in France after being loaned by Chinese outfit Wuhan Jianghan University FC.
The two sisters are among 30 nominees for the prestigious award while Scorchers will fight for the award against the Copper Queens, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.
Fazili, on the other hand, faces Nana Joe Adarkwa of Apme Darkoa, Ghana, Mohamed Amine Alioua of AS Far, Morocco, Reynold Pedros of Morocco, Randy Waldrum of Nigeria, Mehdi el Qaichouri from SC Casablanca, Morocco, Moussa Cisse of Senegal, Desire Ellis of South Africa), Jerry Tshabalala for Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa and Esther Chamruma of JKT Queens, Tanzania.
The former Flames assistant coach in an interview said he was delighted with the nominations.
In an interview, he said: “To me, just being nominated is an honour. I think the Scorchers, Temwa and Tabitha all deserve it too.”
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said the association is delighted that Malawi women’s football achievements have attracted the continental football governing body.
He said: “We are extremely delighted that the Scorchers have made a mark as shining star of women’s football in Africa.
“It’s great to see that the historic achievement of winning the Cosafa Women’s Championship has attracted the attention of CAF and the rest of the world.”
Nyamilandu said Fazili, Tabitha and Temwa all deserve recognition.
“This is proof enough that Women’s football in Malawi has turned the corner and that it is on the right direction to being one of the best teams in Africa,” he said.
A statement from CAF says a panel consisting of CAF technical committee, journalists, head coaches as well as captains of member associations national teams and clubs involved in the group stages of interclub competitions will vote for winners.
