WAFCON 2026 delivered its first major upset Tuesday night. Temwa Chawinga scored twice as Malawi stunned Nigeria Women's Football 3-2 in their Group C opener in Rabat. The outing also marked the team's first-ever appearance at Africa's continental tournament.
Despite the final score line, neither side found the net in the first half. Still, Malawi stayed organized and showed no signs of nerves against the 10-time champions.
Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga Spark Malawi’s Second-Half Lead
Then the second half flipped the script. Temwa Chawinga broke through in the 73rd minute off an Ireen Khumalo assist. Just six minutes later, her sister Tabitha doubled the lead with a finish set up by Sabina Thom. The Chawinga sisters had taken complete control.
But Nigeria finally responded deep in stoppage time. Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty to cut the deficit to 2-1 and briefly spark a comeback. Temwa answered immediately, scoring again in the 95th minute to restore the two-goal cushion. Nigeria's Uchenna Kanu eventually added a late consolation, but it wasn't enough to earn the draw.
Malawi Breaks Nigeria Women's Football Unbeaten Streak
The result snapped the Nigeria Women's Football team's unbeaten record against tournament debutants dating back to 1998. For Malawi, it was a promising start built on the backs of the country's biggest stars.
Nigeria will look to bounce back against Zambia on Saturday as group play continues. Malawi football, meanwhile, will try to keep the momentum going against Egypt on Saturday.
