Malawi striker Temwa Chawinga has warned Nigeria to expect a stern test when the Scorchers make their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations debut against the 10-time champions in Rabat on Tuesday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Making their first appearance at the continental showpiece, Malawi have been drawn in Group C alongside defending champions Nigeria, Zambia and Egypt, and are hoping to begin their campaign with a statement victory over the Super Falcons.
“To beat the defending champions would mean a lot to us,” Chawinga said via ESPN.
“It’s our first game, so it would boost our morale and give us confidence and motivation to do even better.
“Because if you start well by winning your first game, a game against a team like Nigeria, the team starts believing, ‘Okay, we can do this.’”
Much of the pre-match spotlight has focused on Chawinga and her elder sister, Tabitha, Malawi’s all-time leading goalscorer. However, the younger Chawinga believes her team’s strength extends beyond the sibling duo and insists Nigeria should not overlook the rest of the squad.
“They know me and Tabitha.
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“But they don’t know our other players or the way we play. If they focus on us, we have other players who can do the job.”
Despite being regarded as underdogs, Chawinga said Malawi are targeting more than just a respectable outing in Morocco, revealing that qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is one of the team’s ambitions.
“It’s true we might be underdogs, but everyone knows we need to work hard to achieve everything,” she said.
“If we could qualify for this tournament, we can go to the World Cup. We’re not just going there to participate. We’re going there to compete.”
After facing Nigeria in their opening match, Malawi will take on Egypt on Saturday before concluding their Group C campaign against Zambia four days later.
The top four teams at this year’s WAFCON will qualify automatically for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while one additional nation will advance through the intercontinental play-offs, giving Malawi added incentive as they embark on their maiden continental campaign.
Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years
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Source: The Punch
