All eyes will be on hosts Malawi and Zimbabwe when they kick off the Three Nations Women’s Tournament at Bingu National Stadium on Friday evening.
Both sides will be looking for the perfect take off in front of an expected crowd. The two sides will meet for the first time in women’s football at the senior level. That set up a potentially a fascinating showdown.
The fans will be eager to watch the battle between the two teams. The Scorchers, currently ranked 155 in the world, will go into the match in high spirits having qualified for the 2026 CAF TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals.
Currently, ranked 130 in the world, the Mighty Warriors will be looking to prove their worth. Both teams have finalised their preparations ahead of the tournament.
Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili took charge of the final preparations at Bingu National Stadium on Thursday morning.
Fazili believes his charges are in the right frame of mind ahead of the clash. “We are well prepared for the game tomorrow ([Friday] and on Sunday. All players are in shape and everyone is eager to play,” said Fazili.
Fazili called up 25 players for the Three Nations Women’s Tournament. He said will use the tournament to assess some of the players in preparations for the WAFCON finals next year. “We are going to try some players who have never played for the Scorchers before but have been with the team for two to three years and we have not really given a chance to play.
“We are supposed to have a full squad with reliable players, may be 20 or 25. We are going as much as possible without considering which team will be playing. We are going to five or eight players a chance to play so that they can feel the testing of playing international matches. So, you will see new faces and I am sure these players will deliver,” said Fazili.
The Scorchers will be without strikers Temwa Chawinga and Asimenye Simwaka due to injuries. But Fazili said he has replacements for the injured duo. Captain Tabitha Chawinga is leading the team alongside Rose Kabzere, Faith Chimzimu, Chimwemwe Madise and Vanesa Chikupira.
Zimbabwe, arrived in the country on Thursday ahead of their opening match with Malawi. The Mighty Warriors have assembled a strong squad capable of upsetting any team.
Malawi will face Zambia’s Copper Queens in their final game at the same venue on Sunday. The tournament will conclude with a fixture between Zambia and Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
