WAFCON 2026: Malawi through to final after beating Algeria

Malawi's national women's football team, the Scorchers, secured a historic place in the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final by defeating Algeria 3-1 in a thrilling match on Wednesday. The Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, were instrumental in the victory, combining for all three goals.

Algeria's early challenges intensified when Morgane Belkhiter received a red card in the first half, leaving them with ten players. Despite this setback, Malawi took the lead in the 33rd minute through Tabitha Chawinga's impressive goal. The captain's acrobatic effort found the crossbar and nestled into the net, setting the tone for the remainder of the match.

Malawi doubled their advantage just before halftime, with Temwa Chawinga converting a well-placed shot into an empty net, creating a 2-0 lead. The second half saw Malawi maintain their momentum, with Temwa Chawinga nearly scoring a third goal with a blistering run past three defenders, though her effort missed the target.

Algeria managed to reduce the deficit in the 60th minute, with Marine Dafeur's precise free-kick finding Ikram Adjabi, who volleyed the ball home to make it 2-1. However, Malawi's resolve remained unbroken, and in the 75th minute, Tabitha Chawinga struck again, this time delivering a left-footed shot that secured a 3-1 victory for the Scorchers.