Malawi and Zambia will battle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. They will meet in their last Group C match on Wednesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Malawi has been impressive in the tournament. They won 3-1 against Egypt in their last game. Even after losing Rose Alufandika to a red card, they secured the win with goals from Rose Kadzere, Faith Chinzimu, and Temwa Chawinga.
This is a memorable debut for Malawi. They have won both of their Group C matches. They started strong with a 3-2 victory over Nigeria, who have won the tournament ten times. The Scorchers are close to reaching the quarter-finals. A draw in their final group match will secure their spot in the last eight.
If they make it to the quarter-finals, they will be just one win away from a World Cup ticket.
Temwa Chawinga, the star striker, shared their determination to fight for a World Cup spot on their debut. She said, "It’s true we might be underdogs, but everyone knows we need to work hard to achieve everything."
She added, "If we could qualify for this tournament, we can go to the World Cup. We’re not just going there to participate. We’re going there to compete."
Zambia comes into this match after a 1-0 loss to Nigeria. They could not take advantage of a first-half red card shown to a Nigerian player. They only managed two attempts on target during the match.
Coach Nora Hauptle will feel let down by the team's performance. Zambia did not show the same quality they had in their opening game, where they won 6-0 against Egypt. Now, they must win on Wednesday to keep their hopes of qualifying alive.
Zambia's victory over Egypt showed their attacking strength. They have scored in seven of their last ten matches in all competitions. Still, their defense is a concern, as they have not kept a clean sheet in eight of their last ten games.
Both teams have had four wins and two draws in their last ten meetings. Their latest match was a friendly in 2025, which ended in a 1-1 tie.
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