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Is Temwa Chawinga Africa's finest striker, after equalling Sam Kerr's NWSL record?

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Ali Krieger's tip to fall out of the NWSL playoffs (1:25)

With four games left of the NWSL regular season, Ali Krieger reveals the team she expects to lose the spot they currently hold in the playoffs. (1:25)

Temwa Chawinga leads the NWSL scoring charts this season, and equalled Sam Kerr's season record over the weekend, so is she Africa's finest striker ahead of Barbra Banda, Asisat Oshoala, and Racheal Kundananji?

September saw Malawi's Chawinga (Kansas City Current) put one hand on the NWSL Golden Boot as she broke head and shoulders clear of her nearest challenger, Zambia's Banda (NWSL Shield winners Orlando Pride), who was also among the scorers last month.

Another African international who has been finding the back of the net with ease in recent matches has been Nigeria's Oshoala (Bay FC). Although it has come too late for her to be considered a serious challenger for this season's Golden Boot, her upswing in form with four games to go ahead of the playoffs is promising for Bay fans.

1. Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City Current

The younger half of two sisters who have defined a generation for Malawi's women's football, Temwa Chawinga has been neck-and-neck with Banda in the NWSL top scorers' race for much of the season, but that is no longer the case.

After a consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat to North Carolina Courage, Chawinga scored in wins over Utah Royals (1-0) and Washington Spirit (3-0), as well as in a 1-1 draw with Gotham FC. The only game in September she did not score in was a 0-0 draw with Banda's Orlando Pride.

She got October off to a fine start, too, as she scored her 18th goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Racing Louisville - tying Kerr's NWSL single season record with three games to spare.

Intriguingly, Temwa is not on the women's Ballon d'Or nomination list, while her sister Tabitha is, as well as Banda. An oversight, in retrospect?

2. Asisat Oshoala, Bay FC

Oshoala had only scored three goals in her first 17 NWSL appearances, but in September, she scored three more. Oshoala then scored her fourth goal in five games to start October off in the 5-1 defeat to Gotham FC.

The past month was a return to the form that has seen Oshoala crowned African Women's Footballer of the Year an astonishing six times.

It may have come too late for her to claim the award for a third year running and a seventh overall, but Oshoala's upswing in form has come at the perfect time for Bay, who are currently eighth. If the league season were to end today, they would claim the final playoff spot on offer.

If they can get the best out of Oshoala and Zambian teammate Kundananji, who does not make the cut this month for our form-based rankings but has shown glimmers of her brilliant best in recent months, Bay can never quite be ruled out.

3. Barbra Banda, Orlando Pride

Banda came out on top in the battle for African women's football as her Orlando Pride took on Oshoala and Kundananji's Bay FC.

Banda had a superb game and had threatened to score throughout, but Bay initially successfully frustrated her with Katelyn Rowland making a fine save to deny her in the 19th minute and several other chances not quite materialising.

In the 84th minute, that all changed as Carson Pickett's cross from deep on the left flank picked Banda out and she headed home despite a touch from Rowland, whose despairing dive could not deny her 13th goal of the season - a joint-club record single season tally. She shares the record with none other than Brazil's Marta, who achieved the same feat in 2017.

The Pride began October with a 2-0 win over Washington Spirit to secure the NWSL Shield title for the most regular season points, with the NWSL Championship winner still to be determined in the playoffs.

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How do you stop Barbra Banda?

Washington Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez discusses Orlando Pride's Zambian striker, who is second top scorer in NWSL this season.

4. Gift Monday, Tenerife

Super Falcons international Monday has excelled in leading the line for UD Tenerife, scoring three times in her first four appearances for her new club - including twice in three appearances in September.

Monday scored twice in the 4-1 win over Sevilla and provided an assist for Babajide's goal in between her own two. To start the new month off, she scored the winner in a 1-0 triumph over Real Betis.

Her exploits are a reminder that Oshoala may be in form again, but her place at the tip of the Super Falcons attack is no longer a guarantee.

5. Rinsola Babajide, Tenerife

Babajide, who made her debut for Nigeria in October last year after representing England at youth level, has made a fine start to the Spanish Liga F season for UD Tenerife.

Babajide, who only scored three league goals for Tenerife last season, netted twice in her first four appearances in the current campaign.

In addition to her goals in the 4-1 win over Sevilla and 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid, Babajide also picked up an assist for compatriot Gift Monday in the 2-1 loss to Madrid CFF.

6. Thembi Kgatlana, Tigres UANL

Kgatlana continues to star for Tigres in one of the most exciting leagues in women's football at the moment - the fast-growing Liga MX Femenil.

She not only scored in the 2-0 Liga MX win over Mazatlan, but also in the 7-1 thrashing of Jamaica's Frazsiers Whip in a CONCACAF Champions Cup clash.

UANL are currently second in Liga MX's Apertura, trailing leaders Pachuca only on goal difference at the time of writing.

In the Champions Cup, they have won both of their Group A fixtures, putting them ahead of Monterrey and Gotham FC by two points in the standings.

7. Tabitha Chawinga, Olympique Lyon

The elder star Chawinga sister, Tabitha, was on loan at Paris Saint-Germain from Wuhan Jiangda last season. Now, she is back in France on a permanent contract, but with PSG's fierce rivals - Olympique Lyon.

Chawinga has hit the ground running at the defending French champions, who she was unable to beat to the title last season. She scored the fourth goal in the 52nd minute of a 6-0 drubbing of Strasbourg.

8. Jermaine Seoposenwe, Monterrey

Seoposenwe continues to excel for Monterrey, who are pushing Pachuca and UANL all the way in Liga MX.

In September, the Banyana Banyana international scored twice in the 3-1 win over Queretaro and picked up an assist in the 5-0 CONCACAF Champions Cup win over Frazsiers Whip.

9. Chiamaka Nnadozie, Paris FC

Nigeria goalkeeper Nnadozie and Paris FC had a mixed September. Despite a 9-0 drubbing of First Vienna and 2-0 win over Sparta Praha, they were unable to qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League group stages as they succumbed to an 8-0 aggregate defeat to Manchester City over two legs in the final round of qualifying.

However, Nnadozie redeemed herself with a superb performance in the 8-0 league drubbing of Le Havre. The fact that Paris FC won the game by such a huge margin with 12 shots on target compared to Le Havre's eight is testament to her focus on the day and one of her best saves came when Paris FC already led 6-0.

Paris began October with a 1-0 defeat to St. Etienne but are fourth in the league after three games.

10. Rosemonde Kouassi, Washington Spirit

Ivorian forward Kouassi, who signed for the Spirit on a four-year contract in July, gave fans a glimpse of why she was deemed a shrewd investment at 22 years old, setting up the winner in a 2-1 victory over Angel City.

Her inch-perfect pass enabled Makenna Morris to score a 78th minute winner. Largely thanks to her contribution in that game, the Spirit remained second in the league, behind only the Orlando Pride.