Malawi announced themselves on the continental stage in remarkable fashion by defeating defending champions Nigeria 3-2 in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Making their debut at the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Scorchers stunned the 10-time champions at Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday night, with sisters Temwa and Tabita Chawinga leading the charge in a famous Group C victory.
Temwa Chawinga scored twice, while Tabita Chawinga added another as Malawi built a commanding lead before surviving a late Nigerian fightback to claim three historic points.
The result not only handed Malawi a dream start to their maiden WAFCON campaign but also ended Nigeria’s long-standing record of never losing to a debutant nation since the tournament began in 1998.
For one of Africa’s newest teams on the continental stage, it was a victory that immediately changed perceptions. For Nigeria, it represented a disappointing beginning to the defence of their continental crown.
Despite enjoying more possession during the opening stages, the Super Falcons struggled to transform their dominance into clear-cut scoring opportunities.
Nigeria attempted to dictate the tempo of the match, but Malawi consistently looked threatening whenever they launched counter-attacks, with the pace and power of Temwa Chawinga causing problems throughout the contest.
Much of the evening developed into an intriguing duel between Temwa and Nigeria defender Tosin Demehin.
Although Demehin managed to contain the striker for long spells, Temwa eventually found greater success after shifting her attention towards Osinachi Ohale as Malawi continued searching for openings.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 73rd minute.
With Nigeria’s defensive line caught too high, Temwa timed her run perfectly to beat the offside trap. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie hesitated before clearing the danger, allowing the Kansas City Current forward to sweep the ball into the net and give Malawi the lead.
The goal transformed the contest.
Tabita Chawinga soon doubled Malawi’s advantage, further increasing the pressure on the tournament favourites and leaving Nigeria chasing the game.
Temwa then completed her outstanding performance by scoring Malawi’s third goal deep into stoppage time, appearing to put the result beyond doubt and cap a memorable evening for the Chawinga sisters.
Nigeria responded with determination but left themselves with too much to do.
Captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty to reduce the deficit before substitute Uchenna Kanu struck another late goal, setting up a tense finish.
However, the Super Falcons ran out of time before they could complete an unlikely comeback.
The final whistle confirmed one of the most significant victories in Malawi’s football history and one of the biggest surprises the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has witnessed.
For Malawi, the performance highlighted the growing quality emerging across African women’s football, with the Chawinga sisters once again demonstrating why they are among the continent’s most influential players.
The victory also underlined the increasingly competitive nature of WAFCON, where established powers can no longer rely solely on reputation against ambitious newcomers.
