Malawi National Women’s Football Team’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the 2025 Cosafa Women’s Championship hang by a thread following a 2-0 defeat to hosts South Africa in their Group A opening at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The loss yesterday leaves the Scorchers with no points while Banyana Banyana moved level on points with Angola, who earlier beat Lesotho 3-1 in another Group A match.
Thabiseng Ronisha. | Courtesy of Cosafa
With only one team guaranteed progression from the group, the result has significantly complicated Malawi’s path to the next round.
The Scorchers need to win their remaining matches against Lesotho on Saturday and Angola on Tuesday.
However, their fate will still not be in their hands as they will have to pray that South Africa drop points in their matches against Angola and Lesotho to earn an outright qualification to the knockout stage.
If Malawi finish second, they will have to battle with other group runners up for the best losers slot in the quarter-finals.
In a post match interview, coach Lovemore Fazili described the loss as a “bad day in office”.
He said: “The game was bad, more especially in the second-half. We didn’t play the way we expected. First-half was okay. We started well, but the second-half was so bad.
“We have seen the mistakes that we made and when we go back to training, we will tackle them”
In a match monitored on Fifa+, Fazili started Mercy Sikelo in goals with captain Chimwemwe Madise, Rose Alufandika, Ireen Khumalo and Benadette Mkandawire in defence.
The 4-3-3 formation had Tendai Sani, Leticia Chinyamula and Madyina Nguluwe in the midfield while Vitumbiko Mkandawire, Sarah Mulimbika and Chisomo Banda made the frontline.
Despite a disciplined first-half display that saw the teams go into the break locked at 0-0, Malawi failed to contain the hosts in the second stanza.
Banyana Banyana’s breakthrough came just after the hour mark when a well-delivered set-piece from Sinegugu Zondi found stand-in captain Sibulele Holweni, who tapped home to give Banyana the lead.
Malawi pushed to respond but were unable to find the equaliser and ended up conceding again in stoppage time when Bonolo Mokoma sealed the win with a second goal.
