By Edwin Mbewe
RABAT-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi National Women’s Football Team, the Scorchers, stand on the brink of history as they prepare for a blockbuster Group C showdown against regional rivals Zambia on Wednesday, 5 August, with a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) within touching distance.
After stunning defending champions Nigeria and overpowering Egypt in their opening two matches, the Scorchers have emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.
Sitting atop Group C with a flawless six points, Malawi need only avoid defeat against the Copper Queens to seal a memorable place in the knockout stages in their maiden WAFCON appearance.
But head coach Lovemore Fazili has made it clear that his side will not settle for playing it safe.
“We have been preparing very well and the players are responding very well. It looks like everybody wants to play, but in football there are only 11 players who start the game, so we will try to choose the best 11 to start the game,” Fazili said.
The coach dismissed suggestions that Malawi would play for a draw, insisting his team will attack the contest with victory firmly in their sights.
“We are focused on winning the game, not thinking about a draw. First of all, we want to win and keep a clean sheet. A draw will be fine if things do not go as expected, but our aim is to win the game,” he said.
Victory over Zambia would see the Scorchers finish the group stage with a perfect nine points—an extraordinary achievement few would have predicted before the tournament.
“If we win, we will have nine points, so it will be good for Malawi to collect nine points in this group,” Fazili said.
The Scorchers have also received a timely boost with the return of influential attacker Asimenye Simwaka, whose presence has lifted the mood in camp ahead of the decisive encounter.
“Indeed, it is good that Asimenye is here with us. It is a morale booster to the team and the squad,” said Fazili.
However, Malawi will be forced into a defensive reshuffle following the suspension of Rose Alufandika, who was sent off during the Scorchers’ commanding 3-1 victory over Egypt.
“We are going to miss Alufandika, but we have a plan B for her. The player who is going to replace Rose has confidence and has played in defence before, so we do not have any problem with that,” Fazili said.
Wednesday’s encounter promises to add another chapter to the growing rivalry between the two neighbours.
The teams last met in the Three Nations Tournament at Bingu National Stadium, where they played out a 1-1 draw.
Before that, they shared the spoils in a pair of international friendlies in February 2025, with Zambia winning the first match 2-0 before Malawi hit back with a thrilling 3-2 victory.
With confidence soaring, momentum on their side and history beckoning, the Scorchers have an opportunity to crown a dream group-stage campaign by finishing unbeaten and booking a place among Africa’s last eight.
Standing in their way, however, are a determined Zambian side equally eager to make a statement in one of the tournament’s most eagerly anticipated group-stage clashes.
