Malawi and Zambia are familiar foes in international football, and this afternoon the women’s national football teams renew their rivalry when they face-off at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia.
The stakes are high ahead of this afternoon’s match as both teams have assembled strong squads.
This is a big test for both Malawi and Zambia.
It will be a game of egos as Malawi’s Chawinga sisters Tabitha and Temwa will be up against Zambia duo of captain Barbara Banda and Rachel Kundananji.
The four would be in the spotlight following their exploits in recent years.
Malawi and Zambia have met seven times in all competitions since 2012, sharing fortunes with the Scorchers winning three matches, losing three and drawing once.
The two teams last met during the 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship semifinals as Zambia knocked out Malawi following a 2-0 victory at Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa.
It was sweet revenge for the Copper Queens as the Scorchers defeated them 2-1 to lift their first ever Cosafa Cup title in 2023.
They also met during the 2021 Women Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers but Zambia triumphed 3-2 in the second leg after a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg at Bingu National Stadium.
In 2020, Malawi stunned Zambia 1-0 at the Cosafa Cup.
Malawi also beat Zambia 4-2 in the first leg of 2012 Wafcon qualifiers but lost the second leg 7-0 in Zambia.
In a pre-match briefing Friday, Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili said the players were ready for the match.
“We are going to give Zambia a good test. We need to get positive results from the matches,” Fazili said.
Fazili has included six foreign-country based players including the Chawinga sisters, [Tabitha and Temwa], Rose Kabzere, Chimwemwe Madise, Bernadette Mkandawire and Vanesa Chikupira.
Former TP Mazembe striker Sabina Thom is also in the squad.
Faith Chinzimu, Leticia Chinyamula, Zainab Kapanda, Tendai Sani and Maureen Kenneth are also available for the match.
Scorchers captain Tabitha, who joined the squad on Thursday said the stakes are high.
“We need to show that we are bigger than Zambia and they will also want to do the same. We need to compete,” the Olympique Lyonnais striker said.
This is the first match for Zambia new coach Nora Hauptle.
She said her charges are not underrating the Scorchers.
“We need to focus on the performance on the pitch,” she said.
On her part, Zambia captain Banda said they are not underrating the Scorchers.
“This is a game which will determine how far we have gone with our preparations,” she said.
The Scorchers are using the match to prepare for the Wafcon second round qualifier later this year. Malawi will face either Angola or Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, Zambia are preparing for the Wafcon finals to be staged in Morocco later this year.
HEAD TO HEAD
2024 Cosafa Cup: Malawi 0 Zambia 2
2023 Cosafa Cup: Zambia 1 Malawi 2
2021 Wafcon qualifier: Malawi 1 Zambia1
2021 Wafcon qualifier: Zambia 3 Malawi 2
2020 Cosafa Cup: Malawi 1 Zambia 0
2012 Wafcon: Malawi 4 Zambia 2
2012 Wafcon: Zambia 7 Malawi0
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