Temwa Chawinga’s Epic Debut NWSL Season

Temwa Chawinga’s debut season in the NWSL has been monumental. The Malawian striker took the league by storm, shattering the single-season scoring record and leaving fans in awe of her incredible talent.

 

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Chawinga, who joined the Kansas City Current for a two-year contract in January 2024, finished the regular season with a remarkable 19 goals, surpassing Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 set in 2019. She is the first Malawian goal scorer in the history of the league, scoring four girls in her first five games, becoming “the world’s leading goal scorer for 2023 for both club and country,” and cementing her as a major catalyst for the Current’s success, helping them secure a playoff spot after a strong season.

A goal-scoring machine, Chawinga’s speed, power, flexibility, and clinical finishing make her a nightmare for the defense. Equalizer Soccer calls her “one of the most dangerous forwards in the NWSL.” She scored against 12 different NWSL teams, and her impressive inaugural season record has placed her at the top of the NWSL Golden Boot race, awarded to the league’s top scorer.

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But Chawinga is no stranger to setting records. She came to the Current after spending three years with Wuhan Jianghan University F.C., competing in the Chinese Women’s Super League. In 2023, she was the leading female goal scorer, the first non-European to achieve the title. Her incredible 63 goals over all competitions also beat the male players. She won four consecutive league titles with the team and scored 83 goals in 84 games.

Amazingly enough, Temwa is not the only Chawinga with an impressive record. Her sister, Tabitha Chawinga, is currently playing for PSG in France. She has plenty of accolades under her belt, including winning a Serie A Femminile Golden Boot in Italy and the 2023 IFFHS Women’s CAF Team of the Year. In addition, she was nominated alongside her sister for the 2023 Malawi Sport Awards.

As the NWSL playoffs get underway, all eyes will be on Temwa Chawinga to see if she can continue her form and lead the Current to a championship title. But regardless of the outcome, she undoubtedly has already become one to watch – and potentially fear (if you’re a defender).

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