Malawi pulled off a stunning 3-1 victory over Algeria in Rabat on Wednesday to book their place in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.
The Chawinga sisters led the charge, with Tabitha scoring twice and Temwa adding another, propelling tournament debutants Malawi past the more experienced Algerian side.
Ranked 153rd in the world—116 places below pre-tournament favourites and record 10-time champions Nigeria—Malawi have exceeded all expectations, especially after Nigeria’s early exit in the quarter-finals.
The turning point came midway through the first half when Algeria’s Morgane Belkhiter was sent off as the last defender, giving Malawi a numerical advantage.
Captain Tabitha Chawinga capitalised with a spectacular overhead kick in the 33rd minute following a corner, and Temwa extended the lead just before halftime by rounding goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi to make it 2-0.
Malawi were also reduced to 10 players before the break, with Rose Kadzere seeing red for a studs-up challenge. Despite being a player down, Malawi held firm in the second half.
Algeria’s Ikram Adjabi pulled a goal back on 60 minutes, but Tabitha Chawinga responded with a brilliant solo effort in the 76th minute to restore Malawi’s two-goal cushion.
Temwa Chawinga, who plays for Kansas City, has now netted five goals in the tournament, while her sister Tabitha, who plays for Lyon in France, has four.
Algeria will now contest the third-place play-off on Saturday, while Malawi await the winner of the Morocco versus Cameroon semi-final for Sunday’s final, where a record $2 million prize awaits the champions.
By reaching the semi-finals, Malawi, Algeria, Morocco, and Cameroon have also secured qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
