Malawi have reached their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final after the Chawinga sisters inspired a 3-1 victory over Algeria in Rabat.
Tabitha Chawinga scored twice while her sister Temwa Chawinga added another goal as the tournament outsiders secured a historic win on Wednesday.
Malawi entered the competition ranked 153rd in the world, 116 places below Nigeria, the record 10-time champions and pre-tournament favourites who were eliminated in the quarter-finals. The debutants took control after Algeria were reduced to 10 players midway through the first half.
Morgane Belkhiter was shown a red card for a foul on the last defender, leaving Algeria facing an uphill battle for the remainder of the match. Malawi took advantage before half-time, with captain Tabitha Chawinga producing a spectacular overhead kick in the 33rd minute. The forward reacted quickest to a corner before sending the ball into the net to give Malawi the lead.
Her sister Temwa then doubled the advantage one minute into added time. Temwa rounded Algeria goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi before calmly finishing to send Malawi into the break with a 2-0 lead.
Algeria managed to remain competitive after the interval, but Malawi struck again to put the result beyond doubt. The third goal left Algeria with too much ground to recover, despite their efforts to fight back. The defeat means Algeria will now have to settle for the third-place play-off on Saturday.
Sunday’s Final
For Malawi, attention turns to Sunday’s final and a chance to complete one of the biggest stories in women’s football. They will face either hosts Morocco or Cameroon, who meet in the second semi-final later on Wednesday.
The final also offers a major financial incentive, with the champions set to receive a record $2m prize. Malawi’s run has already secured a place in the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The four semi-finalists have all qualified for the tournament. For the Chawinga sisters and a Malawi team that entered the competition as outsiders, the biggest prize is now within reach.
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