Malawi’s Scorchers vow to ‘FIGHT’ as they take on champions Nigeria in WAFCON opener
Malawi women football team head coach Lovemore Fazili has vowed his side are ready to scrap for every point when they take on defending champions Nigeria in their WAFCON opener tonight.
The Scorchers face Nigeria’s mighty Super Falcons in a Group C clash at Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco — kicking off at 10pm local time.
Malawi enter the continental showpiece as one of Africa’s emerging sides, having battled through a tough qualification campaign to book their spot at the tournament.
Speaking to reporters in Morocco on Monday, Fazili insisted his side’s gutsy qualifying run has them primed to give reigning champions Nigeria a real fight.
“When we qualified, it was not an easy task. We fought for it, and definitely we are going to do the same when we play Nigeria,” Fazili said.
Nigeria arrive in Rabat as one of Africa’s true footballing powerhouses, packed with experience and quality as they aim to defend their WAFCON crown.
But despite the mammoth task ahead, Fazili refuses to let his side be overawed by the occasion — insisting the Scorchers have earned their place on the big stage and won’t shy away from the challenge.
The Group C opener is a huge early test for Malawi, who will be desperate to kick-start their campaign in style and potentially spring one of the tournament’s biggest shocks.
In the other Group C fixture, Egypt take on Zambia, with the top two sides in the group progressing through to the quarter-finals.
The victory of Malawi over the much-fancied Nigerian Super Falcons was a classic upset, orchestrated through tactical discipline, defensive resilience, and the devastating counter-attacking prowess of the Chawinga sisters . While Nigeria dominated possession for much of the first half, they struggled to convert their control into clear-cut chances against a compact and resolute Malawian defense . The Scorchers’ game plan was executed to perfection: absorb pressure, win the midfield battles, and then exploit the space behind Nigeria’s high defensive line with the pace and strength of Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga . This approach paid off emphatically in the second half, as Malawi clinically exposed Nigeria’s defensive frailties on the counter, with the Chawinga sisters scoring three goals between them . Although the Super Falcons managed to claw back two late goals, including a penalty and a stoppage-time strike, they were ultimately left stunned by a Malawi side that was tactically superior on the day and fully deserved their historic first-ever WAFCON victory