Debutants Malawi stun Algeria 3-1 to reach historic WAFCON final

In a historic debut for Malawi at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026, the Scorchers stunned Algeria 3-1 to earn a place in the final. The Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, were instrumental in the victory, both contributing to all three goals. Early in the first half, Algeria's Morgane Belkhiter received a red card, leaving her team with 10 players.

Malawi capitalized on this, scoring twice before halftime. Captain Tabitha Chawinga opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a stunning acrobatic effort. Temwa doubled the lead shortly before half-time, displaying composure after being played through before slotting the ball into an empty net. After the break, Malawi continued to dominate, with Temwa coming close to a third goal before Algeria's Marine Dafeur reduced the deficit in the 60th minute.

However, Tabitha Chawinga restored Malawi's two-goal advantage with a brace, including a left-footed effort in the 71st minute. Algeria pushed for a comeback but failed to capitalize, ultimately falling short in a dramatic 3-1 victory for the Scorchers. This remarkable run marks Malawi's first-ever appearance in the WAFCON final.