Ntopwa crowned queens of the south in Mayor’s Bonanza thriller

Kukoma Ntopwa FC have been crowned champions of the Southern Region Women’s Football Association Mayor’s Bonanza after edging out Ekhaya Women 1-0 in a tense final at Kamuzu Stadium.

Mighty Wanderers Queens rounded off the eight-team tournament in style too, thumping FCB Nyasa Bullets Women 2-1 to snatch third spot.

Double-hatted Blantyre mayor and Ntopwa head coach Isaac Jomo Osman hailed the bonanza a resounding success, declaring it had unearthed a wealth of hidden talent — and vowed the tournament will become an annual fixture that “will come bigger” next year.

Beaten finalists Ekhaya were gracious in defeat, with coach Patricia Makwakwa thanking sponsors for helping her side identify key strengths and weaknesses ahead of the league campaign — and vowing to sharpen their attacking edge to find “more goals.”

The prize money flowed too, with champions Ntopwa banking a cool K3.2 million, runners-up Ekhaya pocketing K2.2 million, third-placed Wanderers Queens taking home K1.7 million, and Bullets Women collecting K1 million for their fourth-placed finish.

Star turns on the day came from Ntopwa’s electric 20-year-old Olivia Phikani, crowned Player of the Tournament, while teammate Emmily Nkhwazi scooped the Goalkeeper award.

Bullets hitwoman Mary Chavinda finished as the tournament’s most lethal marksman with nine goals in just three games, while Osman was crowned Coach of the Tournament for his double triumph on the touchline and in the boardroom.