Malawi's Stunning Victory Over Nigeria at WAFCON
In a remarkable display of skill and tenacity, Malawi's Temwa Chawinga, currently playing for the Kansas City Current in the United States, scored twice, while her sister Tabitha, representing French club Lyon, added another goal, leading to one of the most significant upsets in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which has been held for 28 years. Nigeria, ranked 36th in the world and boasting the highest ranking among the 16 teams in the 2026 edition of this prestigious tournament, faced off against Malawi, ranked a staggering 153rd, highlighting a difference of 117 places between the two teams.
Having qualified for all 13 previous WAFCON tournaments and securing 10 titles, including the last championship against Morocco, Nigeria entered the match as the overwhelming favorites. In contrast, Malawi made their WAFCON debut, and their journey in the tournament has already been marked by an unexpected victory, which came just a day after another surprising result.
Despite being labeled as underdogs, Malawi held their ground against Nigeria, ending the first half in a stalemate. The breakthrough came in the 73rd minute when Temwa Chawinga, aged 27, showcased her talent by outmaneuvering the experienced Nigerian goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, who is often regarded as the best goalkeeper in Africa. Chawinga scored from a difficult angle, igniting hopes of an upset.
Malawi extended their lead just six minutes later when Tabitha Chawinga outpaced Nnadozie to net the ball, bringing the score to 2-0. The match featured extended injury time, with the Ugandan referee adding nine additional minutes, which seemed to offer a glimmer of hope to the rattled Nigerian team. Their captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, converted a penalty awarded for handball in the 92nd minute, reducing the deficit. However, before the Nigerian supporters could fully celebrate, Temwa Chawinga struck again, deftly lifting the ball over Nnadozie into the net, sealing Malawi's victory.
In a last-ditch effort, Nigeria had a final opportunity to equalize in the ninth minute of added time, but Malawi's goalkeeper, Mercy Sikelo, managed to deflect a shot from Uchenna Kanu, preventing it from crossing the line. The final whistle blew shortly after, confirming Malawi's historic win and denying Nigeria any chance of leveling the score.
Following this stunning triumph, Malawi finds themselves second in Group C, tied on three points with their southern African neighbors, Zambia, but trailing on goal difference. Earlier in the day, Zambia had delivered a commanding performance, defeating Egypt 6-0, with Barbra Banda scoring four goals and assisting another. As the tournament progresses, both Malawi and Zambia will look to secure their places in the quarter-finals during their upcoming matches against Egypt and Nigeria, respectively, on Saturday.
As reported by france24.com.
