The Scorchers will head into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics second round return leg with a spring in their step following their 2-0 win over Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors yesterday at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
A goal in each half from the Chawinga sisters Temwa and Tabitha, gave the Malawi Women’s National Football Team an edge ahead of the return leg at National Sports Stadium in Harare on Tuesday.
However, after the match, Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili sent out a word of caution, insisting that the battle is far from over.
He said: “It is good that we have won. Credit to the girls for playing according to the game plan, but we should not be carried away with the result.
full-flight during the match.
| Courtesy of FAM
“We have another 90 minutes coming up away in Zimbabwe and it won’t be easy. We need to remain focused.”
The Scorchers, who were playing on home soil for the first time after their vintage show at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they defied the odds to finish as runners-up in their maiden appearance, got a hearty reception from the fans.
Buoyed by the fired up home fans, Malawi fired the first warning shot in the 22nd minute when their US-based forward, Temwa Chawinga, weaved past two Zimbabwe defenders, but her shot from close range inside the 18-yard box went over the bar to the disbelief of the fans.
Relief was the prevalent emotion from the visitors.
Cometh the 34th minute, cometh the super woman
as Temwa broke the deadlock following a communication breakdown in the Zimbabwe defence that saw Tabitha setting up her sister, who did the rest to perfection with a swing. Oh! her leg and the fans were on cloud nine.
Tabitha then doubled the Scorchers advantage five minutes into the second half.
From then on, it was one way traffic as the Scorchers enjoyed possession while the best for the visitors was damage limitation.
However, the Mighty Warriors did come close to scoring in the 82nd minute, but their forward could not connect the ball home with only goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo at her mercy.
Game over? Yes! And the Scorchers will head to Harare with a two-goal lead
