* For making the nation proud through their historic WAfCON Morocco 2025 campaign and as an encouragement ahead of their last group match against Zambia
* Speaker Sameer Suleman called on the Government, the corporate sector and all Malawians to continue supporting the Scorchers going forward
By Duncan Mlanjira
Parliament yesterday gave a standing ovation to the Malawi national women’s football team, the Scorchers, in recognition of their outstanding performance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) Morocco 2026.
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It was also an encouragement to the team ahead of their last group match against Zambia tomorrow in which they need to draw — with a win being a huge milestone to record 100% winning run in Group D.
The Scorchers made headlines across the continent and globally when the tournament’s debutants stunned 10-times WAfCON winners and defending champions Nigeria 3-2.
They went on to beat Egypt to amass 6 points, while Zambia beat Egypt 6-0 in their opening match before losing 0-1 to Nigeria.
Both the Super Falcons and the Copper Queens need a win in their last match and while it might look as an already accomplished victory over Egypt, the Zambians have an uphill task against the Scorchers.
They are in their best morale and have just been boosted with the arrival of forward, multi-talented Asimenye Simwaka, the MDF Lionesses FC’s forward and the country’s top track athlete.
She joined in Morocco after completing her duties at the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026.
Asimenye Simwaka going through the drills in Morocco
Parliament Media reports that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Whip, Monica Chang’anamuno, standing on a point of order, called on the august House to recognise the Scorchers for their outstanding performance which, the Speaker Suleman granted.
Suleman hailed the Scorchers for making the nation proud through their historic campaign and he pledged to personally receive the team at the airport upon their return from Morocco to accord them a befitting welcome in recognition of their remarkable achievement.
He also called on the Government, the corporate sector and all Malawians to continue supporting the Scorchers going forward.
Speaker Sameer Suleman
The Speaker expressed confidence that, with continued support and adequate funding, the Scorchers would continue excelling on the continental stage, adding that he believed the 2026 WAfCON trophy is coming home.
In their 13 meetings, Zambia have dominated with seven wins, with Malawi winning and two ending in draws.
The last the two met was in February 2025 during FIFA Window for international friendlies in which Zambia won the first 2-0 before the Scorchers claimed a 3-2 victory.
The first game cannot be claimed as a convincing as it was a continuation of their scheduled previous day’s match which was abandoned in the 21st minute after the Copper Queens were leading 1-0 and was called off due to a waterlogged pitch following a heavy downpour that started before the match and never stopped.
It was rescheduled for the next day and started from the 22nd minute where it stopped the previous day and after maintaining the 1-0 lead, leading to the Copper Queens scoreing the second through their top foreign-based star, Racheal Kundananji of Bay FC, USA.
Meanwhile, Olympics website highlights the influence of the Copper Queens’ Barbra Banda and the Scorchers Temwa Chawinga, describing it as a blockbuster striker showdown tomorrow (22h00).
Barbra lead in the race for the Golden Boot with four goals while Temwa has three sharing with Cameroon’s Marie Ngah Manga.
All four of Barbra’s goals were scored in the 6-0 triumph over less-fancied Egypt while Temwa scored two against Nigeria and one against the Cleopatras.
The two players attract attention in their head-to-head as each forward has made a name for herself since moving to the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2024, “quickly rising through the ranks as two of the best in the game,” says Olympics.com.
Both won Player of the Match award in their opening games
As far as consistency goes, Barbra Banda is one of the best in the business as she has played 57 games since joining Orlando Pride and has scored 37 goals across that timeframe.
“Her first season in the States was her best on record, bagging 17 times and providing 17 assists. She played fewer games the following season and output dropped, but this term she is well and truly back on track.
“With 12 goals and one assist before the WAfCON 2026, she landed in Morocco and immediately hit the ground running with a further five goal involvements.
“Chawinga mirrors that raw goal-scoring ability, with 48 goals in 64 appearances for Kansas City Current since joining in 2024.
“In doing so, records followed. In her debut campaign in the NWSL, she scored 24 times, setting a record for the most goals scored in a single season.
“She also earned another record, scoring in eight consecutive regular season games – something never done before in the league.
“To cap that season, Chawinga was awarded the Golden Boot and voted the league’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ for her efforts.
“While her scoring tally dropped slightly in the 2025 season, she still retained the top scorer award.
“Fresh from a contract extension, she is now just three strikes behind Banda in the 2026 Golden Boot race, having scored nine times herself and provided two assists.
“It is clear that, now that they are in the same league, these two players relish going up against one another. But while they are competitors on the pitch, both Banda and Chawinga are friends off it.”
Foes on the pitch but friends off it
Results and fixtures (kick-off times CAT beamed live on SuperSport live on DStv Channel 225 (https://dstv.stream) and on GOtv Channel 61 (https://gotv.stream):
Group stages
Group A
Algeria 2-0 Senegal
Morocco 4-0 Kenya
Senegal 1-0 Kenya
Morocco 1-0 Algeria
Senegal 0-0 Morocco
Kenya 0-2 Algeria
Group B
South Africa 1-2 Tanzania
Côte d’Ivoire 4-1 Burkina Faso
South Africa 2-2 Côte d’Ivoire
Burkina Faso 2-1 Tanzania
Today, August 4
Burkina Faso v South Africa (22h00)
Tanzania v Côte d’Ivoire (22h00)
Group C
Zambia 6-0 Egypt
Nigeria 3-2 Malawi
Egypt 1-3 Malawi
Nigeria 1-9 Zambia
Tomorrow, August 5
Egypt v Nigeria (22h00)
Malawi v Zambia (22h00)
Group D
Ghana 2-0 Cape Verde
Cameroon 2-1 Mali
Ghana 0-1 Cameroon
Mali 3-2 Cape Verde
Thursday, August 6
Mali v Ghana (22h00)
Cape Verde v Cameroon (22h00)
Quarterfinals
Saturday, August 8
QF 2: Winner Group B v 2nd Place Group A (19h00)
QF 1: Winner Group A v 2nd Place Group B (22h00)
Sunday, August 9
QF 4: Winner Group D v 2nd Place Group C (19h00)
QF 3: Winner Group C v 2nd Place Group D (22h00)
Semifinals
Wednesday, August 12
SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3 (19h00)
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4 (22h00)
World Cup 2027 play-off matches
Thursday, August 13
Loser QF2 v Loser QF3 (19h00)
Loser QF1 v Loser QF4 (22h00)
Third place play-off
Saturday, August 15
Loser SF1 v Loser SF2 (19h00)
WAfCON 2026 final
Sunday, August 16
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 (Moulay Hassan Stadium or Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, (21h00)
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