Suning 'sisters' shining bright

African aces form twin threat in Jiangsu's attack

NANJING, Jiangsu province - Tabitha Chawinga and Elizabeth Addo refer to themselves as "twin sisters" - and together they're making waves in Chinese women's soccer while also helping each other acclimatize off the pitch.

The Africans are instrumental to the ambitions of Chinese Women's Super League team Jiangsu Suning, with Chawinga banging in the goals up front and Addo pulling the strings in midfield.

Chawinga is already captain of the Malawi national team and Jocelyn Precheur, Jiangsu's French coach, is convinced the 23-year-old is destined for the very top.

But it hasn't been an easy path.

Chawinga grew up playing soccer with boys in her village and was often verbally abused by onlookers.

The 25-year-old Addo is Ghana's skipper and a quiet but steely presence who was raised in an area on the outskirts of the capital Accra known as "Survival City" because it is so tough.

Compared to that, being professional players in China and living in the bustling city of Nanjing, where Jiangsu Suning is based, is a breeze.

As the only foreign players in the club's women's team, and with just a few words of Mandarin between them, Addo and Chawinga lean heavily on each another.

Neither will be involved in the Women's World Cup in France when it starts next week because Ghana and Malawi did not qualify, but they will be watching from afar.

"We spend a lot of time together, walking in the streets, eating in restaurants together if we don't want to cook," said Chawinga.

"We joke together. She's a nice girl to me, she's like my sister. It's the truth - we are the only the foreigners on the team, so we take care of each other like sisters. We are twins."

Broken teeth

Neither had been to China before joining Jiangsu, which has already lifted one domestic cup this season and is in the semifinals of the other.

Chawinga arrived from Swedish soccer in early 2018 and has been prolific, scoring 51 goals in 34 games to solidify her reputation as one of the world's best female strikers.

She was joined by attacking midfielder Addo in March this year, the two reuniting after playing together in Sweden for 18 months.

Chawinga laughs at the reaction they get on the streets of Nanjing, where there are few black faces.

"Many people look at us and think that maybe we are from the same parents, same house. People look at us a lot, like, 'Hey, you look so similar,'" she said.

Their soccer paths also have similarities because they competed against boys when they were younger and were taunted for their love of the game.

Chawinga was a goalkeeper but at age 10 she got kneed in the mouth - "It broke my teeth!" - and decided to play as a striker instead.

As good as she was, Chawinga was regularly targeted for insults.

"People talked a lot, 'Hey, she just plays football, look at her, she goes to sleep with the boys.' But I didn't care, I knew the truth myself," she said.

There were also objections from her mother.

"She used to fight me and say, 'Girls can't play football with the boys, stop playing football'. But now she's very happy for me to play."

In sync

Addo has also enjoyed stints in several countries including Sweden, the USA and Australia.

She and Chawinga have lined up together half a dozen times so far for Jiangsu, with Addo setting up three of her friend's goals and scoring three times herself.

"When I have the ball, she knows what I'll do next," said Addo.

"I know her movement - when she's 'flying' and when she'll stay."

Addo paused when asked about the prospect of playing against Chawinga in an international.

Then she said, smiling broadly: "That would be great, I can't wait for that day. But maybe I would mark someone else and I would tell my players, 'Hey, be careful with my twin sister'."

Xinhua