In all matches the Scorchers lost, coach Fazili keeps saying they were not tough; where then are the players getting it all wrong?

* It’s now 10 losses suffered since February 2025 after the 0-5 against 15th FIFA-ranked Australia and 2-3 to 67th-ranked India

* Next up at the WAfCON Morocco in July is against 37th-ranked defending champions Nigeria, 64th neighbours Zambia and un-ranked North Africans Egypt

It was quite understandable to describe the 153rd FIFA world-ranked Malawi’s 0-5 loss to 15th-ranked Australia in the FIFA Series in Kenya as an-important-learning-experience since this was the Scorchers’ first-ever match against a nation outside Africa — and also being a highly rated team.

Fazili is reported to have said the match against the Matildas was not that tough only that they were up against an experienced side, who capitalised on the Scorchers defensive mistakes.

While it was reported that the Scorchers nearly scored on two to three occasions throughout the match — in the absence of key forwards (the Chawinga sisters Tabitha and Temwa) — the 0-5 result is a reflection that they aren’t ready to make a mark at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) in Morocco in July.

And in losing 2-3 to 67th-ranked India yesterday in the second match of FIFA Serie, Fazili maintained that “the game was not as tough compared to the match against Australia”, arguing that “maybe some players took India for granted after seeing them lose to Kenya”.

Did he mentor his players before hand not to take India for granted — and also the fact that Kenya are no pushovers anyway? Did he made them aware that Kenya, the team that beat India, also qualified for the WAfCON where they are grouped alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria?

Against Australia, Kenya lost by two goals to nil, and Flashscore.com reports that the Harambee Starlets “created their own share of chances but could not find the back of the net. They looked the better side from the opening stages, but were kept at bay by goalkeeper, who did a superb job to keep Australia in the game.”

After the loss to Australia, Fazili maintained that there-is-a-very-big-gap-between-the-teams-the-Scorchers-face-in-the-Council-of-Southern-African-Football-Associations COSAFA — but then what happened at the 2026 COSAFA Women’s Championship? — the team exited at group stages!

And to qualify for the WAfCON, they only played two qualifying matches against Angola, drawing 0-0 away and winning 2-0 at home. To thoroughly prepare for those two matches, FAM organised for them eight international friendlies.

The first friendly was against Zambia in February in which they lost 0-2 in the first match before winning 3-2 a few days later in the FIFA sanctioned window of friendlies — followed by 0-4 losses on aggregate (0-2 each in two games) against South Africa in April.

Then they lost 2-4 away to Morocco in which the Scorchers led 2-0 up and a few days later, still in Morocco, they lost 1-3 to Ghana, which was their 6th international friendly and again, taking the lead but succumbing to another defeat.

They next played against Lesotho at Mpira Stadium in which they won each of the two friendlies at 3-0 — the team they walloped 8-1 at the COSAFA Women’s Championship in South Africa.

Anyway, the WAfCON — being their first continental finals — will be another learning lesson for the Scorchers, which Fazili also acknowledges, when he told FAM Media that the FIFA Series were “good preparations” in which they have “learnt important lessons and will be very careful in selecting players”.

“We will pick those who are ready to deliver, regardless of where they play,” he is quoted as saying said.

His full house at his disposal in Kenya, included foreign-based Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe, DRC), Chisomo Banda (Konkola Blades, Zambia), Rose Kabzere (Montpellier, France), Sabina Thom (Phoenix Feminin, Morocco), Sarah Mlimbika (Green Buffaloes, Zambia), Tendai Sani (ZISD, Zambia), Faith Chimzimu (BK Haken FC, Sweden) and Vanessa Chikupila (Palm Hills Sports Club, USA).

The domestic league legion had goalkeepers Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa) and Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens), Rose Alufandika & Olivia Phikani (Kukoma Ntopwa), Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service Women), Madyina Ngulube, Ireen Khumalo & Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers Ladies), Bernadetta Mkandawire & Lyna James (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Doreen Dickson & Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lionesses), Maggie Chavula & Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer).

The domestic league players that were in camp but did not make the grade for the Kenya FIFA Series were Thoko Mwase & Mary Chavinda (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lionesses), Maureen Kenneth, Fatima Lali & Maggie Chavula (Ascent Soccer), Taonga Phiri & Chikondi Gondwe (Silver Strikers Ladies), Gladys Joseph & Jessie Yosefe (Civil Service Women), Shilla Mangani (Mighty Wanderers Queens); Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses) and Funny Magombo (Kukoma Ntopwa).

Against India, the Scorchers are reported to have come from behind twice through goals from Ireen Khumalo and 33rd minute substitute, Deborah Henry, who also started from the bench against Australia.

In her first full international, after coming in as a late sub in the 0-2 loss to South Africa at the COSAFA Women’s Championship, Deborah scored a first half hat-trick in the 8-1 win over Lesotho.

Is the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership 2025 Golden Boot winner with an unassailable 23 goals to her name, that earned her Player of the Season, proving that she is being underrated?