Malawi continues to write an unforgettable story at the WAFCON 2026. The Scorchers defeated Algeria 3-1 in the semifinals and, in their first appearance in the continental tournament, secured a historic place in the final.

As has been the case throughout the competition, the standout players were once again Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, who were directly involved in all three of their team's goals.

The red card that changed the game for Algeria

The match quickly became complicated for the Algerian side. Morgane Belkhiter was shown a red card during the first half, leaving Les Fennecs with ten players.

The opening blow came in the 33rd minute. Tabitha Chawinga produced a spectacular finish that struck the crossbar before crossing the line to make it 1-0.

Temwa doubled the lead before halftime, receiving the ball inside the box, rounding the goalkeeper and calmly finishing into an empty net to make it 2-0 as the Scorchers headed into the break.

Algeria responded and got back into the match

In the 60th minute, a dangerous free kick taken by Marine Dafeur caused uncertainty inside the box. Ikram Adjabi reacted quickest to the loose ball and fired a volley into the net to make it 2-1.

The goal gave Algeria renewed hope, and they began pushing harder for an equalizer.

Tabitha Chawinga sealed the semifinal

As Algeria searched for the 2-2 equalizer, Malawi's captain stepped up once again.

Tabitha Chawinga beat her marker and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike to complete her brace and restore the Scorchers' two-goal advantage. The 3-1 scoreline proved decisive.

Algeria still had a big chance to respond in the 87th minute, when substitute Laura Muller managed to get past the goalkeeper, but she took too long to finish, allowing the Malawi defense to recover in time and prevent the goal.

Malawi takes its fairytale run all the way to the final

The Scorchers, competing in their first-ever WAFCON, not only reached the semifinals and secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, but will now play in the African championship final for the first time.

And once again, the Chawinga sisters were at the heart of it all. Tabitha scored a brace and Temwa added another goal to keep alive a debut campaign that has already become one of the great stories of the WAFCON 2026.