FAM to honour Gaba, Tabitha
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says it will honour Flames striker Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango for becoming the first Malawian to win the South Africa Premier Soccer League (PSL) Golden Boot Award.
Apart from Mhango, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said the association will also honour China-based women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga who won the same accolade in the Chinese Super League with 12 goals.
The Orlando Pirates forward netted 16 goals to tie with Highlands Park’s Namibian striker Peter Shalulile.
Nyamilandu said the association will honour the two players at a special ceremony to be held in December.
“We need to honour them. We are planning to have an awards ceremony at the end of the year as a tradition,” he said.
Nyamilandu said FAM will work out the modalities of awarding the forwards.
“Being the first of its kind, the technical committee will work on the prizes and modalities of the awards,” he said.
Mhango, who moved to Pirates from Bidvest Wits in June 2019, netted 14 goals before Covid-19 pandemic forced the PSL to a halt in March.
The long break affected his form as he went seven matches without a goal, but the former Nyasa Big Bullets striker proved his critics wrong as he scored in the last two matches with Shalulile hot on his heels.
Pirates also managed to finish third to book a spot in CAF Confederations Cup, thanks to Mhango’s two consecutive goals.
Meanwhile, Nyamilandu said by winning the award, Mhango has proven to be a true Malawian football ambassador.
In an open letter to the Flames striker, the FAM president who is also a Fifa Council member, partly wrote: “I am excited to extend to you my most profound congratulations and best wishes on your recent award as [joint] top goal scorer of the South African Premier Soccer League for the 2019/20 season.
“This is no mean achievement. You have made history as the first Malawian and the first Orlando Pirates player since 2002/3 to win the award.
“Your outstanding performance at both Malawi national team and indeed Orlando Pirates, is a great inspiration to many. Please continue raising the bar higher.”
