The Super Falcons suffered a major defeat on Tuesday as Women’s Africa Cup of Nations debutants Malawi stunned the defending champions 3-2 in their Group C opener.
The Scorchers put forth a valiant performance to give the record 10-time African champions a dismal start to their continental title defence.
After a closely contested first half, Malawi took the lead in the 73rd minute through Temwa Chawinga, and skipper Tabitha Chawinga doubled the lead six minutes later, leaving the Super Falcons with a difficult task.
Nigeria responded in stoppage time, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade calmly converting from the penalty spot in the 90+2nd minute, sparking hopes of an unexpected comeback.
Temwa Chawinga scored again three minutes later, restoring Malawi’s two-goal lead and putting the game out of reach.
The Super Falcons, however, refused to give up, with substitute Uchenna Kanu scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to 3-2.
However, there was no time to salvage a result as Malawi hung on for a historic victory.
The result was one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with Malawi upsetting Africa’s most successful women’s national team.
Nigeria will now need to rebound in their next Group C match to resurrect their campaign, but Malawi’s historic victory has substantially increased their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
Coach Lovemore Fazili set the tone for the pre-match press conference, saying, “Getting this far means we are ready for this match.”
“People may underestimate us, but we are a good team, capable of causing an upset. We are not resigned victims.”
Captain Tabitha Chawinga approaches this historic match with tremendous zeal.
“It was my dream to play in the WAFCON. The time has come. We know Nigeria’s worth.
“They are a great nation, but we must focus on ourselves. Our players need to compete without any inferiority complex,” she stated before the game.
The Super Falcons are currently sitting third in Group C with zero points, just ahead of bottom-placed Egypt thanks to a superior goal difference after their opening 3-2 loss to Malawi.
Despite their tough start, the reigning champions still have a solid chance to recover, since both the top two teams in the group and the two best third-place finishers in the competition will proceed to the quarterfinals.
Zambia currently leads the group on goal differential, with three points after defeating Egypt 6-0 on Tuesday.
The squad captain, Barbra Banda, scored four goals.
Zambia is closely followed by Malawi, which also has three points.
The Super Falcons will face group leaders Zambia next Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. WAT.
This is a must-win game for Nigeria if they want to reclaim control of their fate and move up the rankings.
Faced with a clinical Zambian team who won their opener 6-0, the Falcons must strengthen their defence and seize every offensive opportunity.
Nigeria will next play their final group stage match against Egypt on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 9:00 PM WAT.
A dominant victory in this final match could be critical in ensuring automatic qualification or gaining a position as one of the best third-placed teams.
Six points are still up for grabs, providing ample opportunity for a spectacular comeback.
