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Scorchers camping to proceed

The gods of football have smiled on the Scorchers who have sailed through to the second round of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) following their first round opponents Congo’s withdrawal.

The Malawi Women’s National Football Team was scheduled to host the Congolese on February 20 while the return leg was slated for five days later.

The development means Malawi will face winners between Zimbabwe and Angola in October this year.

Tabitha: We would have loved to face them. | Nation

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director Gomezgani  Zakazaka said in an interview yesterday that Confederation of African Football (CAF) has communicated to them on Congo’s withdrawal.

A statement from the association says  despite the development, the Scorchers will proceed with their camping programme with the hope of securing a friendly  during the same period  “to ensure the Fifa window is fully utilized”.

Reads the statement: “Further details regarding the team’s next steps will be communicated in due course.”

Meanwhile, France-based Scorchers captain Tabitha Chawinga  has bemoaned Congo’s withdrawal , saying facing  it would have been an ideal opportunity to test their strength.

“We have not played together as a full-strength squad for some time and this would have been an ideal chance to measure our strength. We surely would have loved to face them,” she said.

“Nevertheless, if FAM successfully secures international friendlies then that will be good for us so that we can see where we stand.”

Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili could not be reached for comment yesterday, but a fortnight ago, he was quoted by The Nation as saying that he was planning to call a 40-member provisional squad, including 10 foreign-based players in preparation for the qualifiers.

He also said they were eyeing two international friendlies against either Zimbabwe or Mozambique.

The coach said subject to FAM’s approval, his plans were that the team should regroup on February 2.

Apart from Tabitha, the Scorchers have five other overseas-based players, namely, Temwa Chawinga and Chioma Okafor, who are based in the US, France-based Rose Kabzere as well as Kazakhstan-based duo  of Bernadette Mkandawire and Vanessa Chikupila.

The Scorchers also have Democratic Republic of Congo-based duo of  Chimwemwe Madise and Sabina Thom, another duo of Ireen Khumalo and Madyina Nguluwe based in Zambia as well as Mary Chabvinda, who is based in Rwanda.

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