* Two goals down in first half and final 4-0 loss to Ghana comes after falling 1-2 to hosts Morocco seven days earlier
* This follows 0-1 loss and 0-0 draw in June to Tanzania, who did not even qualify for this WAfCON
Malawi Scorchers have now lost 15 international friendlies since February last year following their 1-2 to Morocco Thursday last week and 0-5 to Ghana last evening — and this certainly does not exude any confidence of earning any semblance of pride at their debut Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) Morocco 2026.
These losses follow same pattern in June last year, when Morocco invited Malawi for a friendly where they lost 2-4 in a match the Scorchers led 2-0 up until the 40th minute from goals by captain Tabitha and Rose Kabzere.
A few days later still in Morocco, they lost 1-3 to Ghana in their 6th international friendly.
Prior to that, in preparation for the qualifying WAfCON 2026 matches against Angola, the Scorchers lost 0-2 and won 3-2 against Zambia in Lusaka in a FIFA sanctioned window of friendlies.
The friendly last evening
They were followed by 0-4 aggregate loss (0-2 each in two games) against South Africa in April.
After that came other losses to Zimbabwe (1-2) in Tri-Nation tournament, followed by 0-5 to Australia and 1-3 to India in FIFA Series last April hosted by Kenya.
In June 2026, the team travelled to Dar es Salaam for two friendlies where they 0-1 against Tanzania — a side that did not even qualify for this WAfCON.
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The consolations were 0-0 draws each in Dar es Salaam and against Zambia in the Tri-Nation which Malawi FA organised.
It was quite reasonable to describe Scorchers 0-5 loss against Australia as then Malawi were ranked 153 by FIFA and the Matildas at 15th, which coach described 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.
After the loss, it has been declared as “not a result we wanted, but valuable lessons ahead of WAfCON — which is becoming a cliché that we have heard from all the past losses.
The WAfCON Morocco 2026 kicks off on Sunday and the Scorchers taste their mettle on Tuesday up against highly-fancied defending Nigeria — the record 10-time winners.
Ahead of the match, during a webinar organised by Confederation of African Football (CAF) — bringing together top African women football stars — Scorchers captain Tabitha Chawinga jokingly begged the Super Falcons not to inflict a heavy defeat on the debutants in the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
She was quoted as saying: “Super Falcons need to calm down, do not give us 5-0, please, 1-0 is enough” — but was it a joke? Tuesday will tell if Tabitha & Co. will surprise the women’s continental football and even the world.
Last evening, they were one down as early as the 8th minute and rested at half time trailing 0-2 following Ghana’s second in the 37th.
Two minutes after resumption, the Black Queens increased the lead before stretching it to 4-0 in the 73rd.
This was after coach Fazili made changes when he brought in his preferred first choice goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo for Yamikani Kaonga with Leticia Chinyamula, Vitumbiko Mkandawire, Maggie Chavula replacing Tendai Sani, Olivia Phikani and Sweden-based Faith Chimzimu.
Chinzimu is the star player who scored both goals when the Scorchers beat Angola 2-0 to qualify for the maiden WAfCON.
And in the 80th minute, Fazili brought out France-based Rose Kadzere and US-based vice-captain Temwa Chawinga to make way for Chisomo Banda and Deborah Henry.
Temwa Chawinga in action last evening
Deborah Banda is Fazili’s new recruit after the youngster for Silver Strikers Ladies made a huge impression in the NBM Women’s Premiership as a leading goalscorer.
She made a huge point by scoring a hat-trick in her second international appearance when the Scorchers annihilated Lesotho 8-1 in the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2025 in South Africa.
Deborah Henry (front)
Let’s keep the fingers crossed and believe in Tabitha that Nigeria on Tuesday, Egypt on August 1 and Zambia on August 5, “should calm down” by not annihilating the Scorchers — which will be insavoury news for us across the continent and at global stage.
All the fixtures — kick-off times CAT):
Group stages
Group A
Sunday, July 26
Algeria v Senegal (19h00)
Morocco v Kenya (22h00)
Group B
Monday, July 27
South Africa v Tanzania (19h00)
Côte d’Ivoire v Burkina Faso (22h00)
Group C
Tuesday July 28
Zambia v Egypt (19h00)
Nigeria v Malawi (22h00)
Group D
Wednesday, July 29
Ghana v Cape Verde (19h00)
Cameroon vs Mali (22h00)
Thursday, July 30
Group A
Senegal v Kenya (19h00)
Morocco v Algeria (22h00)
Friday, July 31
Group B
South Africa v Côte d’Ivoire (19h00)
Burkina Faso v Tanzania (22h00)
Saturday, August 1
Group C
Egypt v Malawi (19h00)
Nigeria v Zambia (22h00)
Sunday, August 2
Group D
Ghana v Cameroon (19h00)
Mali v Cape Verde (22h00)
Monday, August 3
Group A
Senegal v Morocco (22h00)
Kenya v Algeria (22h00)
Tuesday, August 4
Group B
Burkina Faso v South Africa (22h00)
Tanzania v Côte d’Ivoire (22h00)
Wednesday, August 5
Group C
Egypt v Nigeria (22h00)
Malawi v Zambia (22h00)
Thursday, August 6
Group D
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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