Falcons Begin WAFCON Title Defence With Shock Defeat to Malawi

Super Falcons suffer 3-2 defeat to Malawi, putting immediate pressure on their WAFCON title defence and World Cup hopes.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons began their campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a disappointing 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their Group C opener on Tuesday in Rabat, Morocco.

The unexpected loss at the Al Medina Stadium leaves the defending champions under early pressure in their quest to retain the continental title and secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Coach Justin Madugu’s side struggled to impose themselves throughout the contest, looking far from the dominant team that lifted the trophy last year. Malawi matched Nigeria’s intensity in the opening half, frustrating the Falcons and ensuring the game remained goalless at the break.

The match changed dramatically after halftime as the Scorchers exploited defensive lapses in the Nigerian backline to score three goals through quick counter-attacks.

Captain Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring after capitalising on a misplaced long ball that caught goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie off guard before calmly slotting into the empty net.

Her sister, Tabitha Chawinga, doubled Malawi’s advantage shortly afterwards, racing onto another long pass before finishing through Nnadozie’s legs.

Nigeria responded when Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty after Uchenna Kanu’s header struck a defender’s hand inside the penalty area.

However, Malawi restored their two-goal cushion moments later after Nnadozie was caught out of position, allowing Temwa Chawinga to lob the ball into an unguarded net for her second goal of the match.

Kanu scored Nigeria’s second goal deep into stoppage time, but it proved only a consolation as Malawi held on for a famous victory.

The result leaves the Super Falcons behind Zambia in Group C after the Copper Queens opened their campaign with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Egypt earlier on Tuesday.

Nigeria must now secure a positive result against Zambia on August 1 to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage and continuing their bid for another African title.