Malawi National Women’s Team, the Scorchers, played out a 0-0 draw against Angola National Women’s Team, the Welwitschias, at Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda, Angola, on Thursday.
The game was a balanced affair but Malawi had a real threat in the 34th minute when Tabitha Chawinga nearly put her side ahead but missed by a fraction.
Chawinga came again in the 67th minute as she tried to assist fellow winger, Asimenye Simwaka but her shot went wide.
Coach for Scorchers, Lovemore Fazili, said he expected his side to score more goals but they squandered many chances.
Fazili added that finishing has been a problem with his team but nonetheless hailed his strikers and wingers for their effort.
“I have to thank the players, the way they have played so far, and they have promised me that they can finish this game at home,” he said.
The two sides will meet again on 28 October, 2025 in Lilongwe at the Bingu National Stadium in the return leg of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The winner of this round shall qualify to the tournament, which will be held in Morocco from 17 March–3 April, 2026.
Malawi went into this match after a walk-over win against Congo, who failed to play the game due to lack of preparations while Angola defeated Zimbabwe 4-5 on post-match penalties after a 3-3 draw in both legs.
After this second preliminary round, 11 nations will battle for four spots as the tournament was recently bloated to feature 16 teams, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
