Flames striker Richard Mbulu and women’s national football team Captain, Tabitha Chawinga, were officially unveiled at their new clubs in Portugal and China, respectively.
Portugal’s third-tier league side, Sanjoanense Sports Association, unveiled Mbulu on Friday after signing him on a season-long loan deal from Mozambican giants, Costa do Sol.
“The Sanjoanense Sports Association hired, until the end of this season, forward Mbulu. At 24, the player will have his first experience in Europe,” the club posted on its website www.ads.pt/ ad-sanjoanense.
Mbulu left for Portugal last week alongside compatriot Abel Mwakilama, who has signed for the academy side of fourth-tier Portuguese club, Esmoriz, from Chitipa United.
Elsewhere, Chawinga was officially unveiled at her new Chinese Women’s Super League club, Jiangsu Suning, over the weekend after penning a two-year contract from Swedish outfit, Kvarnsveden, last November.
Chawinga, who becomes the third African to join the Chinese league after Gaelle Enganamouit and Asistat Oshoala from Nigeria, said joining Suning was a dream come true.
“I am really excited to join one of the best leagues in the world, and I hope that my game will improve. I had successful years in Sweden but I needed a fresh challenge,” Chawinga said in a telephone interview from China.
National Women’s Football Association Chairperson, Severia Chalira, has since hailed Chawinga, who finished as the 2017 Cosafa Championship’s second top goal-scorer with nine goals from three games for Malawi.
“It is a good move for her and I am confident that she will do well in China. The sky is the limit. Tabitha has done us proud,” she said.
Last season, Chawinga finished as top goal-scorer in the Swedish top-flight league for women with 24 goals, 10 goals ahead of runner-up American forward Ella Masar.
The 21-year-old striker, born in Rumphi District, also won the 2017 Sweden Best Forward of the Year award, beating Fifa Player of the Year, Lieke Martens, and Montpellier’s Stina Blackstenius.
Chawinga was also nominated for the Confederation of African Football Best Female Player of the Year award but lost it to eventual winner, Oshoala.
Chawinga’s exploits in Sweden swayed Kvarnsveden to sign her young sister Temwa.
The eight-team Chinese women’s football league season will kick start on March 18. China women’s football team is ranked 13th in the world. Dalian Quanjian are the defending champions.
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