Malawi staged a dramatic comeback in Rabat on Sunday, defeating Ghana 2-1 to book a place in the semifinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Ghana made a flying start, taking the lead in the seventh minute when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah met the ball with a volley that found the back of the net.
Five minutes after falling behind, a shot from Temwa Chawinga took a deflection and ended up in the Ghanaian net, restoring parity and setting the stage for a tense contest.
Both sides continued to battle for control, with neither able to find the decisive breakthrough for much of the second half.
Then, in the 79th minute, Malawi found the moment that changed the game.
Rose Kadzere burst into the penalty area and fired beyond Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan to complete Malawi’s comeback and put the southern African side 2-1 ahead.
Ghana pushed forward in search of an equaliser during the closing stages, but Malawi’s defence held firm to secure a historic victory.
The result sends Malawi into Wednesday’s semifinal against Algeria in Casablanca.
In the other semifinal, hosts Morocco will face Cameroon in Rabat.
The four semifinalists have also secured automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
For the teams eliminated in the quarterfinals, the road to the World Cup is not yet closed.
They will have another opportunity to qualify through African and intercontinental playoff routes.
