Fazili: Malawi ready to fight for World Cup spot against Ghana

Malawi Women’s National Football Team head coach Lovemore Fazili says the Scorchers are fully prepared for their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Ghana on Sunday.

Malawi face the Black Queens at Al Madina Stadium, with the winner progressing to the semi-finals and securing a direct place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We are very prepared for tomorrow’s game. We are serious because there is a lot at stake. We are supposed to get a win in tomorrow’s game,” Fazili said.

“I am sure we are going there seriously to give out everything so that we can be victorious. If we go through, it means we are going to play at the World Cup next year. This is something everybody is looking for.”

Malawi finished top of Group C in their maiden Wafcon appearance, despite a 2-1 defeat to Zambia in their final group match. Fazili said the team had taken positives from that performance, particularly their second-half response.

“I totally agree that we lost that game against Zambia, but positively, I think we played very well. Especially in the second half, we managed to fight back. We got one goal and at the end of the game we were down 2-1,” he said.

“But we were on top of the game and played very well. Whatever we left from the Zambia game, I think we have taken it into the Ghana game. The players are hungry and want to continue from where they left in the second half against Zambia.”

Malawi will be without three key players for the match. Sabina Thom is out for the rest of the tournament with a knee injury, while Leticia Chinyamula and Madyina Nguluwe are suspended after picking up two yellow cards.

Fazili said the trio would be missed but backed their replacements to step up.

“Definitely, we are going to miss the three because they contributed a lot in the three games we played. But we have plan B for their replacements and they are good players as well,” he said.

“I am very sure they are going to deliver. These are also players who need to be given a chance to play and start this coming game.”

The coach said qualification for the World Cup would be a historic achievement for the country.

“A win [Sunday] is very important because this is what Malawians have been looking for. This is what the Football Association has been looking for. It will be a very good thing to give to Malawians that we have qualified to play at the World Cup next year,” he said.

“This also goes to the President of the Football Association of Malawi, Fleetwood Haiya, and the entire FAM Secretariat. For us and the players, this achievement would be huge, and we would celebrate together with Malawians because it has never happened before.”

Sunday’s match will be the third meeting between Malawi and Ghana in recent times. The sides met in an international friendly last year, which Ghana won 3-1, before meeting again in July this year, when Ghana won 4-0 in another friendly.

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