Malawi’s Scorchers have exited the 2025 COSAFA Women’s Championship despite closing their Group A campaign with a 1-0 victory over Angola.
The decisive strike came from Ireen Khumalo, who netted a spectacular 40-yard free kick, but the win was not enough to secure a semifinal berth as Malawi’s qualification hopes hinged on results elsewhere.
An earlier 2-0 defeat to hosts South Africa proved costly, leaving the Scorchers reliant on favourable outcomes in other groups, which did not materialise.
Head coach Lovemore Fazili acknowledged the disappointment but remained encouraged by the team’s overall performance.
“Despite our exit, we have drawn valuable lessons from this tournament which will help us prepare better for the upcoming WAFCON assignment,” said Fazili.
Malawi conclude the tournament with two wins and one defeat, and attention now turns to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, where the Scorchers aim to build on the experience gained at COSAFA.
