Nigeria’s Super Falcons began the defence of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title with a disappointing 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening Group C match on Tuesday.
The result is one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition, as Malawi defeated the 10 time African champions in their first ever WAFCON match.
The first half ended without a goal as both teams created chances but failed to score.
Malawi took the lead in the 73rd minute through Temwa Chawinga. Six minutes later, captain Tabitha Chawinga doubled the advantage to put Nigeria under serious pressure.
The Super Falcons pulled one back in the second minute of added time when captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty to make it 2-1.
However, Temwa Chawinga scored again three minutes later to restore Malawi’s two goal lead.
Substitute Uchenna Kanu scored in the ninth minute of added time to reduce the deficit to 3-2, but Nigeria could not find an equaliser before the final whistle.
Before the match, Malawi coach Lovemore Fazili said his team believed they could cause an upset despite being underdogs.
Captain Tabitha Chawinga also said her players would play without fear and focus on their own strengths rather than Nigeria’s reputation.
What the result means
Nigeria are now third in Group C without a point, ahead of Egypt only on goal difference. Zambia top the group after defeating Egypt 6-0, while Malawi are second with three points.
The top two teams in each group, along with the two best third placed teams, will qualify for the quarter finals.
Nigeria’s next match is against Zambia on Saturday, 1 August 2026, at 9:00 pm WAT. It is a must win game if the Super Falcons want to improve their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
The team will then play Egypt on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, at 9:00 pm WAT. A convincing win could be important if qualification is decided on goal difference or the ranking of the best third placed teams.
With two matches left, Nigeria still have six points to fight for and can recover from their poor start.
