Malawi stun holders Nigeria as Chawinga sisters fire debutants to WAFCON upset

Defending champions Nigeria suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) match, with sisters Temi and Tabitha Chawinga scoring all three goals for the newcomers.

The Super Falcons, 10-time winners of the competition, were punished for a sluggish start as Malawi raced into a two-goal lead inside the first quarter of the game, before withstanding a late Nigerian fightback.

Temi Chawinga broke the deadlock for Malawi, timing her run perfectly to beat the Nigerian offside trap and finish beyond the goalkeeper to put the underdogs in front.

Just six minutes later, the holders were in deeper trouble when Temi’s elder sister Tabitha Chawinga doubled the advantage, leaving Nigeria facing an unexpected early crisis in their title defence.

Nigeria respond but comeback falls short

Nigeria halved the deficit from the penalty spot after a handball inside the area, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade stepping up to convert and give the Super Falcons a route back into the contest.

That momentum was short-lived. Malawi restored their two-goal cushion when Temi Chawinga struck again, claiming her second of the game and putting the debutants 3-1 ahead to silence the Nigerian support.

Uchenna Kanu pulled another goal back for Nigeria late on, raising hopes of salvaging a point, but the final whistle followed soon after and left the champions with no time to complete the comeback.

The result leaves Malawi celebrating a memorable first WAFCON appearance, while Nigeria, beaten by a side making their tournament bow, face immediate pressure in the defence of their continental crown.