WAFCON: Malawi Hand Nigeria Historic Opening Loss
Malawi’s Scorchers announced themselves on the continental stage in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night, handing defending champions Nigeria a three goals to two defeat in their opening Group C fixture at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat, Morocco, in what ranks among the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.
The result carried added weight because it marked the first time reigning WAFCON champions had ever lost to a debutant, and it left the record ten time winners staring at an early exit from a tournament that doubles as a qualifying pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Chawinga sisters were the architects of the shock. Temwa Chawinga, the Kansas City Current forward, struck twice, opening the scoring in the 73rd minute and sealing the win late in stoppage time, while captain Tabitha Chawinga added the second in the 79th minute to record Malawi’s first ever goals and first ever victory at a WAFCON finals.
For much of the contest, the balance of play suggested a different outcome. Justine Madugu’s side dominated the ball with about 55 percent possession and matched Malawi with roughly 13 shots, but the Super Falcons repeatedly failed to convert control into clear openings. Esther Okoronkwo’s set piece deliveries offered their most reliable threat, and Nigeria felt they should have had a penalty before the interval when she went down inside the box, only for the referee to wave play on. The teams went into the break goalless.
Malawi’s efficiency after the restart exposed a disjointed Nigerian defence. Temwa Chawinga latched onto a long ball to beat goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Tabitha Chawinga profited from another delivery the backline failed to clear. Rasheedat Ajibade, the Nigerian captain, offered hope from the penalty spot in the second minute of added time after a handball, but Temwa restored the two goal cushion moments later. Substitute Uchenna Kanu pulled another back with virtually the last kick, though it came too late to rescue the tie.
The reverse leaves Nigeria without a point and third in Group C among the three sides that have played. Zambia sit top after thrashing Egypt six goals to nil earlier the same day, level on three points with second placed Malawi but ahead on goal difference.
Attention now turns to a decisive meeting with Zambia on Saturday, a fixture Nigeria must win to keep their knockout ambitions and World Cup hopes alive. The Copper Queens carry a potent attacking threat in Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, though the Super Falcons will draw confidence from their five goals to nil demolition of the same opponents at the quarter final stage of WAFCON 2024, the campaign in which they lifted a record extending tenth title.
For Madugu, who guided Nigeria to that triumph, the defeat represents an early and unexpected test of his authority. His decision to introduce Kanu, Toni Payne, Asisat Oshoala and others in search of a breakthrough underlined the urgency, but Malawi’s ruthlessness in front of goal, registering four big chances to Nigeria’s two by available match data, ultimately told the story.
The National Sports Commission had earlier announced a 5,000 dollar per goal incentive for the Super Falcons ahead of the tournament, a motivation that yielded little reward on a night when Malawi’s newcomers seized the headlines.