Malawi’s success at an expanded 16-team tournament in Morocco is proving that women’s football in Africa has the potential to grow beyond the traditional big names.
Excluding the inaugural edition in 1998, they are the first debutant to reach the final.
But having already booked their place at next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in Brazil, courtesy of their run to the last four, the Scorchers are now on the verge of something very special – and anything looks possible with the Chawinga sisters firing on all cylinders in attack.
With Tabitha helping OL Lyonnes to another French title last season, and with Temwa winning a second golden boot and MVP award with NWSL side Kansas City Current, there was plenty of hype ahead of this campaign.
All of it now appears justified as the sisters have scored eight of their team’s 12 goals – with five for Temwa and three for Tabitha – and appear to have a level of pace, power and positional awareness which opposition defences struggle to cope with.
Tabitha’s opener in this match will be remembered for a long time.
When Asimenye Simwaka, who just two weeks ago was running in the 200m and 400m semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, headed a corner back into the middle of the penalty area, the elder Chawinga looked to pose little danger given she had her back to goal.
But the 30-year-old twisted to apply a clever left-footed overhead kick which beat Algeria goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi but not the crossbar.
As N’Gazi also twisted to avoid being struck by the ricochet, she probably thought she would be able to collect the ball on the bounce, but the backspin meant it could only end up in the back of the net.
Belkhiter’s red card, which had come midway through the first half, had looked harsh, even if replays clearly showed the defender catching Tabitha on the back of the heel.
The challenge came a long way from goal and Belkhiter’s team-mate Roselene Khezami, who was challenging from Chawinga’s other side, did get something on the ball as she lunged in at the same time.
Temwa Chawinga took advantage of the numerical advantage to round N’Gazi and stroke home to make it 2-0, but Kadzere’s deserved red card shortly after opened the door to the North Africans.
The Malawi midfielder just about made contact with the top of the ball before going over the top and catching Marine Dafeur above the ankle.
The challenge, however, came inside the Algeria penalty area and was totally unnecessary.
Algeria’s Melissa Bethi and Temwa Chawinga both missed glorious opportunities inside the opening minutes of the second period before Adjabi’s strike on the hour.
Two Malawi defenders made a mess of dealing with Dafeur’s deep free-kick, allowing the forward to fire back across goal on the volley to half the deficit.
Both sides looked to be running out of steam before Tabitha Chawinga settled the contest with her second goal, driving into the penalty area almost unchallenged to side-foot home from just outside the six yard box.
Ranked 153rd in the world, Malawi have taken Wafcon by storm.
One final hurdle remains in the form of Cameroon, after they saw off the hosts on penalties, but on this form the Chawinga sisters will feel anyone is beatable.
