Malawi Under-17 National Football Team coach Trevor Kajawa has named his squad for the Cosafa Women’s Under-17 Championship at the 2022 Region 5 Games in Lilongwe.

The 20-player squad is the first ever as Malawi will be participating in their debut competition.

Kajawa has named two goalkeepers Ester Maulidi and Shakira Austin, defenders Kettie Munthali, Faith Chinzimu, Talandira Chinyamvula, Evelyn Nthala, Ruth Mandala, Mercy Wasi and Olivia Phikani.

Kajawa: This is a big moment

In the midfieled, he has settled for Anna Baziliyo, Linda Manda, Rose Kadzele, Sarah Mulimbika, Caroline Mlezo, Mary Mbalangwe, Tiwonge Chirwa and Chikondi Mgodi with Glory Sichinga, Mary Chindeya and Leticia Chinyamula as strikers.

Malawi is in Group A alongside South Africa and Mauritius and Kajawa said he was looking forward to the tournament to be held as part of the regional youth games.

He said: “This is a big moment for the girls as we will be parading a first ever Under-17 team at international level and we will do our best to get results.”

However, Malawi’s biggest hurdle is South Africa, who are the most successful team in this age-group, having twice qualified for the Fifa Women’s Under-17 World Cup in 2010 and 2018.

South Africa head coach Siphiwe Dludlu is just back from World Cup qualifiers where they were knocked out by Ethiopia.

Dludlu was quoted by Cosafa website www.cosafa.com as having said she is confident that the girls, who are 2019 Cosafa Women’s Under-17 Championship finalists, are ready for the championship.

The hosts start the competition against South Africa on December 1 before taking on Mauritius in their second encounter four days later.

Mauritius, who hosted the tournament in 2016 and 2018, reached the semi-finals two years in a row and finished runners-up in 2017.

The other group has defending champions Zambia, last year finalists, Botswana and Comoros.

Group winners and runners-up will qualify for the semi-finals.

Uganda were the inaugural winners of the Cosafa Under-17 Women’s Championship after beating South Africa 2-1 in the decider in Mauritius in 2019.

Tanzania claimed the prize in 2020 and Zambia were winners last year when the tournament also formed part of the Region 5 Games Maseru, Lesotho.

Malawi will host the tournament for the first time. Mauritius, South Africa and Lesotho have been the other three hosts.

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