Ascent Academy coach Thom Nkolongo insisted there’s no rift between him and star player Rose Kabzere.
The Scorchers forward took no part in Ascent’s two crucial matches that saw them cruise into the finals of Goshen-FAM National Women’s Championship, currently underway at Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe.
After Friday’s 2-0 victory over Silver Strikers Ladies, Kabzere did not join the rest of the team to cerebrate the victory.
Her actions as well as coach’s decision of benching her in the past two matches prompted speculations among supporters that there must be a problem between the pair and the player is disappointed.
But speaking to The Atlas after the match, Nkolongo was quick to set the record straight by quashing the allegations.
“She has been sick and not fit to play though she has been appearing on the bench” said Nkolongo in his quick response.
Kabzere scored 21 goals in Ascent Soccer Girls’s maiden Central Region Women’s Football League title win back in 2022, and earned her debut for the Scorchers at the Cosafa Women’s Championship, same year.
The talented forward also won the Golden Boot at the Region 5 Youth Games which doubled as Cosafa Under-17 Championship in December 2022.
In 2023’s Central Region Women’s Football Association FAM League she scored 17 goals to finish third on top scorers chart.
She was also part of the Scorchers team at the 2023 Cosafa where she started three of the four matches that she featured scoring one goal and later, she was nominated for Cosafa Promising Award alongside winner Leticia Chinyamula, which recently took place in South Africa.
She missed Ascent Academy’s national phase opener that saw them progress to the semifinal with a 4-0 victory over Blantyre giants Ntopwa Queens before Friday’s 2-0 win over Silver Strikers Ladies that sent them through to the finals.
They will face MDF Lioness in the final who claimed 4-1 win over FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women and yesterday’s 3-0 victory over Civil Service United Women in the quarter and semi-finals of the competition.
The final match will take place on Sunday afternoon at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
