Malawi reached their first-ever Women's Africa Cup of Nations final on 12 August 2026, beating Algeria 3-1 in Rabat behind two goals from captain Tabitha Chawinga and one from her sister Temwa. The result extended the Scorchers' unlikely run at the tournament, following earlier wins over Nigeria and Ghana, and set up a title match against tournament hosts Morocco, who defeated Cameroon on the same day to reach the final, according to CAF's official tournament report.
Malawi entered the competition as the lowest-ranked side in the field yet have now knocked out two of the continent's traditional heavyweights on their way to the final. The semi-final itself was a chaotic, stop-start affair, featuring two first-half dismissals confirmed by video assistant referee reviews and a string of missed chances at both ends.
How did the goals unfold?
Tabitha Chawinga opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with an audacious overhead kick that struck the crossbar, bounced on the goal line and spun back over it for a goal. The move began when sprinter-turned-footballer Asimenye Simwaka, who competed in the 200m and 400m semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow just two weeks earlier, headed a corner back into the box for Chawinga to convert with her back to goal.
Temwa Chawinga doubled the lead in the first minute of added time at the end of the first half, rounding Algeria goalkeeper Chloe N'Gazi before finishing calmly. Algeria's Ikram Adjabi pulled a goal back on the hour mark, according to a report from Channels Television, firing home on the volley after Malawi's defence failed to deal with a deep free-kick from Marine Dafeur. Tabitha Chawinga then settled the contest with her second goal, driving almost unchallenged into the penalty area to side-foot the ball home from close range.
Why were two players sent off?
Algeria defender Morgane Belkhiter was shown a red card in the first half for a last-defender foul on Tabitha Chawinga, confirmed after a VAR review, despite replays suggesting the challenge came some distance from goal. Malawi were not spared either: midfielder Rose Kadzere was dismissed before the interval for a studs-up tackle on Dafeur inside the Algeria penalty area, a decision also reached following an extended video review, per CAF's match summary.
How have the Chawinga sisters performed throughout the tournament?
The siblings have been central to Malawi's run, combining for eight of the team's 12 goals in Morocco, with Temwa scoring five and Tabitha three. Temwa Chawinga plays in the United States for Kansas City Current in the NWSL, where she recently won a second golden boot and MVP award, while Tabitha plays for Lyon in France, according to an ESPN Africa report.
Their form had been heavily anticipated before the tournament given their club success, and it has translated directly onto the pitch in Morocco. Malawi's opening group match against Nigeria finished 3-2, with Temwa scoring twice and Tabitha once, a result widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history, per CAF's coverage of the group stage. The sisters were similarly decisive in a 3-2 win over Ghana earlier in the tournament.
Malawi's progress to the semi-finals had already secured them a historic place at next year's Fifa Women's World Cup in Brazil, a milestone reported separately when Algeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Malawi all booked their World Cup berths by reaching the last four in Morocco.
What happens next?
Malawi will face hosts Morocco in Sunday's final at 19:00 GMT, with the Scorchers aiming to become only the fourth nation to win the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Algeria, meanwhile, will contest the third-place play-off on Saturday, according to Channels Television.
Key Facts
- Malawi defeated Algeria 3-1 in the semi-final in Rabat on 12 August 2026, reaching their first WAFCON final as tournament debutants.
- Tabitha Chawinga scored twice, including a spectacular overhead kick; Temwa Chawinga added the third goal.
- Two red cards were issued in the first half, to Algeria's Morgane Belkhiter and Malawi's Rose Kadzere, both confirmed by VAR review.
- Malawi have already qualified for the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup in Brazil by reaching the WAFCON semi-finals.
- Malawi will face hosts Morocco in Sunday's final at 19:00 GMT; Algeria play in Saturday's third-place play-off.
