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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

This is our time, Chawinga boasts after Falcons defeat

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Malawi's national women's football team, the Scorchers, achieved a historic 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations debut.
  • Captain Tabitha Chawinga expressed the team's determination to seize the moment, stating, "This is our time," and highlighting the collective effort beyond just her and her sister.
  • The Scorchers aim to compete beyond participation, with ambitions to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

Malawi's national women's football team, the Scorchers, have made a historic debut at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations with a stunning 3-2 upset victory over defending champions Nigeria. The team, considered underdogs, secured a significant win in Rabat, Morocco.

It was amazing; my sister and I spoke with each other and we thought, ‘This is our time.’

— Tabitha ChawingaMalawi captain on the team's historic victory over Nigeria.

Captain Tabitha Chawinga declared that the moment was theirs, stating, "This is our time." She emphasized the team's long-awaited opportunity to compete on the continental stage and credited her teammates for their crucial roles in the victory. "We have been waiting to play at the WAFCON for long but we didn’t qualify. So this is very important for us," Chawinga said.

While much pre-match attention focused on the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, Temwa cautioned Nigeria against overlooking their teammates. "They know me and Tabitha. But they don’t know our other players or the way we play. If they focus on us, we have other players who can do the job," she had warned.

We have been waiting to play at the WAFCON for long but we didn’t qualify. So this is very important for us.

— Tabitha ChawingaMalawi captain on the significance of their WAFCON debut.

The Scorchers are not content with just participating in the tournament. Tabitha Chawinga affirmed their ambition to compete fiercely, with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil as a primary goal. "If we could qualify for this tournament, we can go to the World Cup. We’re not just going there to participate. We’re going there to compete," she stated.

They know me and Tabitha. But they don’t know our other players or the way we play. If they focus on us, we have other players who can do the job.

— Temwa ChawingaMalawi player warning Nigeria about their teammates.

This victory provides Malawi with a strong start in Group C. Their next matches against Egypt and Zambia will be crucial in advancing their campaign and moving closer to their World Cup aspirations. The top four teams at WAFCON will automatically qualify for the 2027 World Cup, with an additional spot available through intercontinental play-offs.

It’s true we might be underdogs, but everyone knows we need to work hard to achieve everything.

— Tabitha ChawingaMalawi captain on the team's mindset and ambitions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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