The Scorchers struggled to unlock Lesotho’s defense during the first half of their second friendly match at Mpira Stadium. The midfield remained stagnant with misplaced passes preventing them from creating clear goal-scoring opportunities in open play.

This mirrored their performance in Friday’s first match, where the team relied on two defensive errors to score in the first half. Only Sabina Thom’s individual brilliance—cutting inside from the left wing—provided a moment of quality.

Coach Lovemore Fazili placed his trust in experienced midfielder Leticia Chinyamula, partnering her with Zainab Kapanda, another seasoned international player returning from a year-long injury layoff.

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After Asimenye Simwaka headed home from a corner kick in first-half stoppage time to give the Scorchers the lead, Kapanda suffered an injury. On the 51st minute, she was replaced by Funny Moyo, wearing the number 8 shirt.

“Moyo’s game-changing impact”

Moyo’s introduction transformed the team’s performance. Operating as a holding midfielder, she dominated the center of the park, allowing the Scorchers to flow freely, create chances, maintain possession, and score two excellent goals from open play.

While she had impressed coming off the bench on Friday—switching between midfield and wing positions—Sunday’s performance in her preferred holding role showcased her true potential.

Her impact was immediate. On the 55th minute, Moyo unleashed a volley that went straight to the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, she delivered a perfect through ball to Sabina Thom, whose first-time cross found Simwaka, though the goal was ruled offside.

On the hour mark, Moyo’s attempted pass to Thom was intercepted, but Fatima Lali collected the loose ball. After beating her marker, Lali provided the cross for Simwaka to head home her second goal.

Three minutes later, when Lesotho won a corner, Bernadetter Mkandawire headed clear and Moyo prevented the rebound before releasing Simwaka. The striker dribbled past two defenders, found Ireen Khumalo, and completed her hat-trick by heading in the return ball.

The Scorchers dominated the remainder of the match with Moyo orchestrating play from deep. Her intelligent positioning, ability to switch play across the field, space creation, and precise passing allowed her teammates to flourish.

Coach Fazili was impressed with her performances across both matches: “We tried to give her some minutes and I would say she has impressed me a lot. She will have time in the team because she has shown us what she can give us.”

Funny Moyo captains Mighty Wanderers Women and, like male team star Blessings Singini, wears the number 8 shirt. Her playing style draws natural comparisons to Singini’s influential midfield performances.

Moyo has been exceptional in the National Bank of Malawi National Women’s Premiership, driving forward a youthful Nomads side. She earned player of the match in the team’s debut league fixture—a 2-0 away victory over Moyale Sisters.

Her outstanding display in the 1-0 home win against Kukoma Ntopwa Queens at Mpira Stadium, where she was a strong contender for player of the match, caught Fazili’s attention and earned her senior team call-up.

Moyo is among the players patiently developed by Thom Kazembe at Bangwe Sisters before Mighty Wanderers acquired the team in 2023 to meet club licensing requirements for TNM Super League participation.

Her rapid rise from local football to international recognition demonstrates both her natural talent and the effectiveness of the development pathway that brought her to national team attention.