Malawi’s 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the first leg of the second round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualifiers on Friday showed why the Scorchers can trouble strong opponents, but also highlighted areas that need improvement.
Goals from Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga at Bingu National Stadium gave Malawi an advantage ahead of the return leg in Harare. However, Zimbabwe’s compact defensive approach tested the hosts’ ability to create chances beyond their familiar counterattacking threat.
Here are six things we learnt from the match.
1. MALAWI NEED A PLAN FOR TEAMS THAT DEFEND DEEP
Malawi came into the match with heightened expectations after their historic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign, where they beat defending champions Nigeria 3-2. But Zimbabwe adopted a different approach, using five defenders and a crowded midfield to deny the Scorching forwards space to run into.
That defensive structure reduced the effectiveness of Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga’s pace, which is most dangerous when they can attack open spaces. Malawi struggled to produce flowing passing moves in the final third, often finding their route to goal blocked by Zimbabwe’s organised defence.
The lesson is that the Scorchers need alternative ways to create chances, including quicker combinations, better movement between the lines and greater use of the wide areas when opponents refuse to leave space behind their defence.
2. BETTER DECISIONS COULD MAKE MALAWI MORE DANGEROUS IN ATTACK
Malawi frequently looked for forward passes towards the Chawinga sisters, even when retaining possession or involving other players could have created a better opening.
At times, crosses came too late, allowing Zimbabwe’s defenders to get into position. Extra touches also slowed attacks and gave the opposition time to recover.
The Scorchers need to recognise when to release their forwards early, when to combine patiently and when to switch play to exploit space on the opposite flank. With better timing and decision-making, they can make their attacking play less predictable and create more clear-cut opportunities.
3. THE CHAWINGA SISTERS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE EVEN IN TIGHT SPACES
Zimbabwe’s compact defence limited Malawi’s attacking space, but Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga still found ways to decide the match.
Temwa opened the scoring before setting up Tabitha for the second goal early in the second half, underlining the understanding and individual quality that make the sisters such a threat.
Their performance reinforced a lesson from the WAFCON victory over Nigeria: Malawi do not need to dominate possession to hurt strong opponents. However, the team would become even more dangerous if midfielders and other forwards offered additional attacking options, preventing opponents from focusing almost entirely on the Chawingas.
4. LETICIA OFFERS HOPE FOR MIDFIELD SUCCESSION, BUT CHIMZIMU’S ABSENCE WAS FELT
Faith Chimzimu’s absence was noticeable in Malawi’s midfield, particularly in the lack of defence-splitting passes and the difficulty of maintaining control as the match progressed. Her experience, creativity and ability to dictate the tempo were missed, especially in the second half, when the central midfielders appeared to tire.
Nevertheless, Leticia Chinyamula gave an encouraging account of herself in the number eight role. She showed good positional awareness and distributed the ball sensibly, without trying to do too much.
Her performance should not be viewed as matching Chimzimu’s current capabilities. Rather, it offered hope that Malawi can develop younger players who will gradually provide depth and eventually succeed experienced members of the team.
There is also potential for Leticia to interchange positions with Rose Kabzere in the number 10 role. With better coordination and further development, their movement could create passing options and help Malawi unlock compact defences.
5. DEFENSIVE LAPSES COULD BE PUNISHED BY STRONGER OPPONENTS
Although Malawi kept a clean sheet, Zimbabwe caused problems with direct balls in the second half. Several passes reached their forwards, exposing weaknesses in Malawi’s handling of balls played behind the defence and raising questions about communication between the centre-backs.
Against a more clinical side, those moments could have led to goals.
The Scorchers need to improve their coordination when defending long balls, be quicker to contest second balls and maintain concentration when opponents bypass the midfield. The result was positive, but the defensive performance showed that there is still work to do.
6. THE SCORCHERS HAVE RENEWED THE CONNECTION WITH THEIR SUPPORTERS
The large crowd at Bingu National Stadium was another encouraging outcome of the match. Following the excitement of Malawi’s historic WAFCON campaign, supporters had an opportunity to welcome the team home and show their appreciation in person.
The enthusiastic backing throughout the match reflected the interest generated by the Scorchers’ recent achievements and the public’s desire to see the team play on home soil.
The challenge now is to sustain that enthusiasm. Consistent performances, continued progress and more opportunities to watch the team at home will be important in turning the excitement around the WAFCON campaign into lasting support for women’s football.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The 2-0 win gave Malawi a valuable advantage, but it also showed that individual quality must be supported by tactical flexibility, sharper decisions in attack and greater defensive concentration.
As the Scorchers prepare for the return leg, they will need to protect their advantage while addressing the weaknesses exposed in Lilongwe. Developing midfield depth and preparing younger players to succeed experienced stars will also be important to maintaining the team’s progress in the years ahead.
