November belonged to the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, as they won the Chinese Women’s Super League (CWSL) with Wuhan Jiangda.
The month saw some of Africa’s top players wrap up their seasons in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan and the USA’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). For Uchenna Kanu, last month’s Power Rankings leader, that meant going out with a bang.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala saw her superb start to the season derailed by a knee injury, but she nevertheless sits close to the top after making the most of the minutes on offer this past month.
1. Tabitha Chawinga, Wuhan Jiangda
The older Chawinga sister left Jiangsu Suning for Wuhan Jiangda in the off-season and her decision paid off as her new club beat her old team in the CWSL championship match.
The Malawi international ended the season as the league’s top scorer, finishing with nine goals. As a result, she slots back into our Power Rankings in first place. She adds this accolade to her already impressive CV as a player, having previously been the CWSL Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
2. Temwa Chawinga, Wuhan Jiangda
Temwa Chawinga, the younger of the two sisters, is a Chinese champion for the second year running with Wuhan.
Having chipped in with seven goals this season, she finished second in the goalscoring standings — level with Changchun’s Rafaelle and behind only her older sister.
Malawi were knocked out by Zambia in Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifying, so the Chawinga sisters will not be able to lead their country in pursuit of continental glory.
3. Uchenna Kanu, Linköpings
Kanu may have kept her spot at the top of the Power Rankings had she played more than one match in November before the Damallsvenskan season came to an end.
She nevertheless justified keeping her top 10 spot by scoring both goals in Linköpings’ 2-0 win over AIK, extending her goalscoring run to seven strikes in four matches.
Kanu finished the season with 14 Damallsvenskan goals, with only BK Häcken’s Stina Blackstenius (17) scoring more. Linköpings finished sixth out of 12 teams, but the season proved that the sky is the limit for 24-year-old Kanu.
4. Asisat Oshoala, Barcelona
Nigeria striker Oshoala started November in style with the second goal in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Eibar. However, a dream beginning to the month turned to a nightmare as she suffered a knee injury in the 4-0 UEFA Women’s Champions League win over Hoffenheim, which is expected to keep her out until January.
Oshoala has now scored 11 goals in nine Primera Iberdrola appearances this season for the European champions, who have so much depth upfront that they are bound to be able to cope.
5. Barbra Banda, Shanghai Shengli
Banda, who was the CWSL’s top goalscorer last season, was influential once again in the 2021 campaign with Shanghai Shengli.
Although she chipped in with important goals, including a brace in the 3-0 win over Zhejiang Hangzhou and the winner in the 1-0 triumph over Shandong Ticai, she was unable to lead the team to the title. Shanghai Shengli picked up the bronze medal, beating Guangdong Meizhou Hakka 2-1 in the final.
Banda’s Zambia will face Namibia in a two-legged tie in February in the final round of qualifying for the AWCON.
6. Ajara Nchout, Inter Milan
Nchout continued her fine start to life at Inter Milan, scoring in their 5-0 thrashing of Hellas Verona to add to her previous goals against Juventus and AS Roma in October.
The Cameroon striker also started in Inter’s 3-2 win over Fiorentina and Inter are currently fifth in the Women’s Serie A standings.
Nchout was also influential in the 6-0 win over Pro Sesto in the second round of the Coppa Italia.
7. Thembi Kgatlana, Atlético Madrid
South Africa’s Kgatlana continued her fine run of form, netting in Atléti’s 1-1 draw away to Valencia — scoring in her second successive match.
In a team brimming with attacking talent, Kgatlana continues to steadily stake her claim for a starting berth and improve her form in front of goal. All indications are that she will be key for Atlético in their bid to catch Barcelona over the next few years.
She also has a vital role to play in South Africa’s bid to be crowned African champions for the first time ever, next year in Morocco.
8. Chiamaka Nnadozie, Paris FC
Paris FC sit third in the French Division 1 Féminine after a strong start to the season, with Nnadozie now having cemented her spot as a regular in the starting XI.
The team started the month with a setback as they went down to 10 players and lost 3-1 to Bordeaux, but they recovered in style with a 2-0 win over Desire Oparanozie’s Dijon.
9. Bambanani Mbane, Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns became Africa’s first ever women’s champions in November with a 2-0 win over Hasaacas Ladies in the final of the CAF WCL. Furthermore, they wrapped up South Africa’s Hollywoodbets Super League title to complete a treble after they previously won the COSAFA qualifying tournament for the CAF WCL.
The likes of Andile Dlamini, Zanele Nhlapho, Chuene Morifi and Andisiwe Mgcoyi played crucial roles, but without Mbane’s contribution at the back, it is doubtful that they would have managed to emerge as African champions without a single goal conceded.
A match-saving tackle to prevent a late Malabo Kings goal in the semi-final was crucial in Jerry Tshabalala’s team ultimately winning the game on penalties and Mbane deserved her place in the CAF Best XI of the tournament.
10. Ode Fulutudilu, Glasgow City
Fulutudilu scored twice in Glasgow City’s 5-1 mauling of Motherwell as the defending champions continued their pursuit of another Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL 1) title.
Glasgow are second in the table, two points behind leaders Rangers, and they have the SWPL Cup final looming against fellow Glasgow rivals Celtic on 5 December.
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