Tawanda Chirewa

Tawanda Chirewa
Personal information
Full name Tawanda Blessing Chirewa[1]
Date of birth (2003-10-11) 11 October 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Chelmsford, England
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Team information
Current team
 Derby County (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Number 28
Youth career
–2019 Ipswich Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 Ipswich Town 0 (0)
2023– Wolverhampton Wanderers 8 (0)
2024– → Derby County (loan) 4 (0)
International career‡
2024– Zimbabwe 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Tawanda Blessing Chirewa (born 11 October 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger for EFL Championship club Derby County on loan from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. Born in England, he represents Zimbabwe internationally.

Club career

Ipswich Town

Chirewa made his debut for Ipswich Town on 12 November 2019, appearing as a second-half substitute in a 0–1 away loss to Colchester United in an EFL Trophy group stage match, he became the second youngest player to make his first-team debut for the club, after Connor Wickham, at 16 years and 31 days old.[2] On 14 July 2020 it was announced that Chirewa had signed a two-year scholarship with Ipswich.[3]

He signed his first professional contract with Ipswich on 2 November 2020, signing a deal until 2022, with the option of an additional year extension.[4]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 18 September 2023, Chirewa signed for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, joining the club's Under-21s side.[5]

Chirewa made his debut Wolves First XI appearance, as a second-half substitute, in the FA Cup away to Brentford on 5 January 2024.[6]

Chirewa made his Premier League debut, as a second-half substitute, in a 0–0 draw away to Brighton & Hove Albion on 22 January 2024.[7]

Chirewa made his first appearance in a Black Country derby in the Fourth Round of the F.A. Cup, in a 2–0 victory against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 28 January 2024. His appearance came as a second-half substitute after crowd unrest breaking out in sections of the ground designated for West Brom supporters led the game to be suspended for half an hour.[8]

On 26 August 2024, Chirewa signed on loan with Derby County until the end of the season.[9] Chirewa made his debut a day later in the EFL Cup at Barrow.[10] A concussion sustained on international duty would rule him of two games in September.[11] Chirewa made his first start for Derby County at Sunderland on 1 October 2024.[12] After this match, he sustained a "freak" quad injury which is expected to rule him out of action for four to eight weeks.[13]

International career

In March 2024, Chirewa was called up by the Zimbabwe national team.[14]

Chirewa made his debut for Zimbabwe on 7 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. He started the game and played 68 minutes, as Lesotho won the game 2–0.[15] He scored his first international goal in the next game 4 days later, a 1–3 loss to South Africa.[16]

Personal life

Born in England, Chirewa is of Zimbabwean descent.[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 29 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ipswich Town 2019–20[18] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
2020–21[19] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22[20] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022–23[21] League One 0 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 2 0
Total 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2023–24[22] Premier League 8 0 2 0 0 0 — 10 0
2024–25[23] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Total 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Derby County (loan) 2024–25[23] Championship 4 0 0 0 1 0 — 5 0
Career total 12 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 18 0
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.

International

As of match played 11 September 2024[24]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Zimbabwe 2024 4 1
Total 4 1
Scores and results list Zimbabwe's goal tally first.
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 June 2024 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa  South Africa 1–1 1–3 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

References

  1. ^ "SQUAD LIST 2021/22 & U21 REGISTERED CONTRACT PLAYERS" (PDF). 9 September 2021. p. 68. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  2. ^ Warren, Andy (12 November 2019). "Ratings: How the Ipswich Town players performed in their 1–0 EFL Trophy defeat at Colchester United". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Seven Earn Academy Scholarship". Ipswich Town F.C. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Tawanda Pens Pro Deal". Ipswich Town F.C. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Chirewa signs for under-21s". www.wolves.co.uk. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  6. ^ Smith, Emma (5 January 2024). "Brentford 1–1 Wolves: Tommy Doyle thunderbolt earns replay after Joao Gomes' early red". BBC Sport.
  7. ^ Rindl, Joe (22 January 2024). "Brighton & Hove Albion 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Duo play out goalless draw in Premier League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  8. ^ Stone, Simon (28 January 2024). "West Brom 0–2 Wolves: Visitors progress after crowd trouble sees game suspended". BBC Sport.
  9. ^ "TRANSFER NEWS: Zimbabwe International Chirewa Joins Derby On Loan". Derby County. 26 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Paul Warne names Derby County team to face Barrow as new signing starts". Derby Telegraph. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Paul Warne issues Derby County update as summer signing injured on international duty". Derby Telegraph. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Paul Warne springs quartet of surprises as he names Derby County team to face Sunderland". Derby Telegraph. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Derby County 'freak' injury blow confirmed but Paul Warne given triple boost". Derby Telegraph. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  14. ^ "EPL honours Tawanda Chirewa as youngster receives first Warriors call-up".
  15. ^ "Zimbabwe v Lesotho game report". ESPN. 6 June 2024.
  16. ^ "South Africa v Zimbabwe game report". ESPN. 11 June 2024.
  17. ^ Staff Reporter (19 September 2023). "Zim teenager Tawanda Chirewa turns down Ipswich deal, signs for Wolves".
  18. ^ "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  22. ^ "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Tawanda Chirewa in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Tawanda Chirewa World Football.net". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 11 June 2024.