Scorchers’ coach Lovemore Fazili has said there were positives drawn from the 2-0 loss to Zambia in an international friendly at the Reiz Arena in Lusaka.
The match, which featured some of the best players on the continent, was played over two days after it was abandoned on Saturday afternoon due to heavy downpour and it continued on Sunday morning.
At the time of the abandonment in the 21st minute, the hosts were leading 1-0 via Avell Chitundu’s 20th minute strike.
US-based forward Rachael Kundananji sealed the Copper Queens’ victory from a free kick in the 79th minute.
The beauty of it all lay in the execution, which left Scorchers goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo stunned.
Fazili hailed his charges for fighting every inch of the way.
He said: “Zambia are one of the top teams on the continent, who are regular at Wafcon [Women’s Africa Cup of Nations] and also qualified for the World Cup and Olympics and the girls deserve a pat on the back for their fighting spirit.
“We have good individual players, but we have not had a chance to play with all our regulars available for some time.
“There are lots of things we have learnt from this match and we hope to do better in the second match on Tuesday.”
After shaking off some early lethargy the Zambians were the first to settle down and were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute following a handball in the box by one of the Scorchers defenders.
Up stepped Rachael Nachula, but her spot-kick was kept out by Sikelo.
In the second half, Malawi came with renewed purpose as they searched for an equaliser, but the Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, who were kept under lock and key, could not find the net.
Scorchers’ France-based attacker Rose Kabzere was taken off stage in the 62nd minute after sustaining an injury earlier on and was replaced by Zainab Kapanda.
As Malawi’s pressed for an equaliser, Faith Chimzimu long-range shot went wide.
Three minutes later, Temwa also came close, but her shot was saved by the Zambian goalkeeper before Kundananji netted the second for the Copper Queens.
The hosts would have gone three up in the dying minute when US-based reigming Africa Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbara Banda got the ball near the centre circle, then beat Chimwemwe Madide, but her effort was brilliantly saved by Sikelo.
