Malawi had an impressive debut at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 on Wednesday. The Scorchers defeated Algeria 3-1 to secure their place in the final.
The Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, were key to the victory, scoring all three goals for Malawi. This win marks their first-ever appearance in a WAFCON final.
Malawi got a boost early in the match when Algeria’s Morgane Belkhiter received a red card. This left the North African team with just 10 players.
In the 33rd minute, captain Tabitha Chawinga impressed everyone. She made a stunning play, sending an acrobatic shot off the crossbar and into the net to put Malawi ahead.
Temwa added another goal just before half-time. She showed great skill by rounding the goalkeeper after receiving a pass and then calmly finishing into an empty net. Malawi went into the break leading 2-0.
After the restart, the Scorchers kept up the pressure. Temwa nearly scored again in the 51st minute. She flew past three defenders with her speed but missed the target.
Algeria found hope in the 60th minute. Marine Dafeur delivered a tricky free-kick that caused problems in the Malawi box. Ikram Adjabi reacted quickly to a loose ball, volleying it home to cut the lead to 2-1.
But Malawi answered back and restored their two-goal lead. Tabitha beat her marker and shot left-footed into the net, securing her second goal and making it 3-1 for the Scorchers.
Algeria fought hard for another goal and almost scored in the 87th minute. Substitute Laura Muller rounded the goalkeeper but took too long to finish. This allowed Malawi’s defenders to recover and stop what looked like a certain goal.
Malawi held on in the final minutes, winning the match 3-1. This victory continues their impressive journey in their first WAFCON.
The Scorchers are now set to compete for the continental title in their first TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
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