Scorchers yesterday suffered a 3-0 defeat to Banyana Banyana in an international friendly match at University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus Sports Complex in South Africa.
In the absence of key players such as France-based duo of Tabitha Chawinga and Rose Kabzere as well as US-based Temwa Chawinga, the Scorchers were out of sorts as they failed to stump their authority in the match.
The hosts, on the other hand, were aggressive.
Banyana took the lead in the 13th minute through Nonhlanhla Mthandi before Linda Motlalo doubled the lead in the 22nd minute.
Mthandi then came back to haunt Scorchers, netting the third in the 52nd minute.
Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili’s first XI had Mercy Sikelo, Maureen Kenneth, Chisomo Banda, Letticia Chinyamula, Ireen Khumalo, Fanny Magombo, Rose Alufandika, TP Mazembe’s Chimwemwe Madise, Kazakhstan-based Biik Kaztgurt FC duo of Bernadettar Mkandawire and Vanessa Chikupila as well as Lanchkhuti-bound Sabina Thom who captained the side.
The match was the first of two friendlies between the two sides.
In a post-match interview Fazili said they would work on the team’s shortfalls ahead of the second friendly to be played tomorrow.
He said: “It wasn’t a good day for us. Our frontline was dead. We will go back to the drawing board and see what went wrong.”
Scorchers are preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers second round tie against Angola.
Malawi qualified for the 2026 Wafcon second round after their opponent Congo withdrew from the competition.
