Scorchers captain Tabitha Chawinga has become the first Malawian to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) and to score in any UEFA competition following her goal for PSG against Manchester United last night.
The 27-year-old attacker who is on loan from Wuhan Jianghan University FC, scored in the early minutes of the second half to earn a point for Paris Saint-Germain Féminine against Manchester United Ladies at Leigh Sports Village in the second qualifying round first leg match.
Chawinga was set through by Sandy Baltimore and slotted the ball home in the 53rd minute before the hosts’ equalizer by substitute Melvine Malard in the 70th minute. The striker was substituted in the 84th minute.
“Paris led early in the second half through Tabitha Chawinga, the first Malawian to score in UEFA competition, on a night when she was already becoming the only player from her nation to take part in the Women’s Champions League,” UEFA wrote on their website.
Soon after the match, she took to her official Facebook page to show her gratitude for her first goal.
“First #UWCL match, first goal though it wasn’t enough to get us a win. Hopefully we will win at home. Thanks for the support and prayers,” she posted.
Malawian striker Esau Kanyenda, who played for FC Lokomotiv Moskva between 2005 and 2007, was the first Malawian to play in the UEFA Champions League.
However, he did not score any goal in the tournament despite his goal scoring runs with Jomo Cosmos and FC Rostov.
Former Nyasa Big Bullets player Charles Petro also featured in the UEFA Champions League when he played for Sheriff Tiraspol in 2020.
