……As debutant Lioness wins Championship
By Edwin Mbewe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a surprising turn of events, the Women’s football scene in the Central region has witnessed significant growth, highlighted by the impressive debut victory of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Lioness during the 2023 season.
Bertha Kawanga, the committee’s General Secretary, described the 2023 season as highly competitive compared to previous years, where predicting the winners was more straightforward.
Speaking at the Prize presentation event on Wednesday, 28th February 2024, at the Civo Clubhouse, Kawanga expressed her excitement about the evolving nature of women’s football in the region.
“The 2023 season was captivating, and we couldn’t just predict the winner, unlike previous years. The fact that MDF Lioness, newcomers to the league, clinched the championship speaks volumes about the increased competitiveness.
“Today’s ceremony was colourful and vibrant, reflecting the tremendous development in women’s football, no wonder it is contributing more players to the national team,” explains Kawanga.
Arnold Jere, the General Secretary of MDF Lioness, revealed the team’s aspiration to qualify for COSAFA, expressing gratitude to the MDF administration for unwavering support in building a strong squad.
“We aimed at winning the championship in the central region, and here we are. As MDF, we are optimistic about performing well at the national level to represent the country in this year’s COSAFA.
“Let me take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to the MDF administration for their unwavering support in reinforcing the squad with quality players,” said Jere.
Addeilede Migogo, the Women’s Football President in the country, thanked teams and stakeholders for their patience during the delayed Prize presentation due to unforeseen circumstances.
She commended MDF Lioness for breaking the dominance and emphasized the upcoming national championship, which is set to kick off before the end of March.
“Let me thank the Champions MDF Lioness for winning the league for the first time and this simply tells that no team is dominating in the league. There was a see-saw in the regional tables to show that there was stiffer competition amongst the girls”, Migogo.
Migogo added, “The Scorchers will participate in various competitions this year to continue developing the sport, exposing the girls to the international stage.”
In terms of awards, MDF Lioness’ head Coach Cpt John Kaputa was named the best coach of the season.
Deborah Henry of Silver Strikers won the Golden Boot accolade with 31 goals, and Leticia Chinyamula of Ascent Academy secured the Player of the Season award.
Reflecting on the 2022 season, where Ntopwa Super Queens were crowned National champions and participated in COSAFA in South Africa, the growth and competitiveness of women’s football in Malawi are evident.
