The Scorchers yesterday finished bottom in the four-team Fifa Women’s Series 2026 at Nyaso Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya after losing 3-2 to India in a third-place playoff.
In a match monitored on TV 47 Kenya, the Malawi National Women’s Football Team restored parity twice before India’s late strike deflated the Scorchers’ ego against a team that is 86 places ahead of them on Fifa Women’s Rankings.
The development means the Scorchers, who used the series as part of preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) finals in Morocco in July this year, have conceded eight goals and scored two in two games.
Ranked 153 on Fifa Women’s Rankings, Malawi lost 5-0 to 15th-ranked Australia in their opener while 67th-ranked India suffered a 2-0 defeat to 134th-ranked Kenya.
Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili admitted that lack of concentration in the last 10 minutes of either half proved costly for his charges.
“It is disappointing to lose and finish bottom in the series. However, we have learned a lot of lessons that will help us perform well at the Wafcon finals,” he said.
Yesterday, India broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through Astam Oraon before Malawi drew level in the 42nd minute through defender Ireen Khumalo’s fabulous direct free-kick that arrowed into the top corner from just outside the box.
However, it did not take long for India to reclaim the lead when Aveka Singh scored just before the break.
In the 60th minute, substitute striker Deborah Henry levelled the scores for Malawi with a simple tap-in and the Scorchers appeared to be dominant in the dying minutes of the game until India struck from a counter-attack.
Singh completed her brace in the 84th minute to give India the victory.
In the first half, the Scorchers were mostly on the back foot as India, who were fresh from competing in the Asian Women’s
Championship, took advantage of Malawi’s defensive lapses to create numerous chances.
