Italy-based Malawi Scorchers captain Tabitha Chawinga has said this afternoon’s opening match is significant in the team’s quest to reach the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship final.

Malawi start the campaign this afternoon against Botswana in Group C at Madibaz Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Tabitha: Our target is to win the championship

Chawinga, who last month signed for Inter Milan women’s football team and scored in her debut last Sunday, said the Scorchers need to win the match at all cost.

She said: “When you participate in a tournament you need to have a purpose. Obviously, our target is to win the 2022 Cosafa Women’s Championship.

“After making it to the final last year, this year we need to go further and win the championship.”

The skipper, however, played down her return as key to the team’s success.

She said: “This is a good team. Whether I am here or not, this team is capable of winning the championship.”

The Scorchers will be up against a fired up Botswana side, which recently qualified for the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco where they reached the quarter-finals by the hosts.

But Chawinga said the Scorchers are not under pressure.

She said: “We are not under pressure because if we put ourselves under pressure, we can start panicking.”

On his part, coach Lovemore Fazili said the technical panel did their homework on their opponents.

He said: “Botswana is a strong side. I have watched them play. We learned something from their games we watched.

“But we are not afraid of Botswana. We have agreed to just go and play to win. No pressure at all. In football anything can happen.

“With the coming of Tabitha, the morale in camp is also high ahead of the match.

“It’s our wish to make to the final and win the championship and this starts with a win in the opening game.” A win in this match will ease Malawi’s pressure going into their second match against Comoros on Monday before facing defending champions Tanzania on September 7.

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