Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili says his charges will not feel out of place when they face a full-strength Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses’ side in Casablanca tonight.
Morocco have assembled a 30-player squad that includes 17 players that play for top European clubs in Spain, France, Italy, England, Belgium and Switzerland while Malawi’s 24-player team has only five that play for European sides in France, Kazakhstan and Georgia.
in Casablanca on Tuesday. | Courtesy of FAM
The Scorchers will also be without their US-based star forward Temwa Chawinga, Democratic Republic of Congo-based defender Chimwemwe Madise and striker Mary Chabvinda, who plies her trade in Rwanda.
A win or a draw will be a big boost for Africa’s 31st ranked Malawi as they are battling against a side ranked third on the continent.
The Scorchers are tuning up for their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) final round qualifiers against Angola in October while Morocco are preparing to host the delayed 2024 Wafcon finals next month.
This will be the first time Malawi will be facing a North African team and the third time they will be playing against a team in Africa’s top-five bracket in strength-testing matches this year.
The Scorchers took on second-ranked South Africa and fifth-ranked Zambia twice apiece between February and April this year.
In February, the Scorchers lost 2-0 to Zambia’s Copper Queens in their first friendly before registering a 3-2 victory in the second match. Against hosts South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in April, they lost 3-0 and 2-1.
In an interview yesterday, Fazili said the fact that Morocco have 17 overseas-based players is not a cause for worry as they are prepared to give them a good run.
“Having 17 professional players doesn’t mean we should be afraid of them. We have our own stars that can perform better than them. Remember, we had a similar situation against Zambia,” he said.
“What is important to us is to have a strong squad whenever we play international friendlies ahead of our Wafcon qualifiers against Angola. We are building a strong fighting spirit.”
The Scorchers bank their hopes on France-based attackers Tabitha Chawinga of Olympique Lyonnais and Rose Kabzere of Montpellier, striker Sabina Thom of Georgia’s Lanchkhuti and Kazakhstan-based duo of forward Vanessa Chikupira and defender Bernadette Mkandawire, who play for Biik Kazygurt.
Morocco Lionesses’ foreign legion includes Rosella Ayane of Tottenham
Hotspur in England, Jade Nassi of Stade de Reims in France, Anissa Lahmari of Levante UD in Spain and Rania Boutiebi of Yla Brugge in Belgium.
Morocco women’s team coach Jorge Vilda Rodriguez was quoted by www.moroccoworldnews.com as having said they assembled a strong squad because they have high ambitions ahead of the 2025 Wafcon finals, having reached the final in the 2022 edition and also qualified for the 2023 World Cup.
As 2025 Wafcon finals hosts, Morocco will compete in Group A alongside Zambia, Senegal and DR Congo.
