Malawi Stuns Algeria 3-1 to Reach First-Ever Women's AFCON Final

A shot that clips the crossbar, bounces down and trickles in. That's how, almost by miracle, the afternoon began to unravel for Algeria in Rabat. And that's how, with that dash of luck on top of talent to spare, Malawi pulled off one of the tournament's biggest surprises: it knocked out Algeria 3-1 and reached the final of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in its history.

The story had one name on it: Chawinga. Sisters Tabitha and Temwa split Malawi's three goals between them and made it clear why their team, despite sitting at just 153rd in the world rankings, went so far in its tournament debut.

The match heated up early. In the 23rd minute, Algeria was reduced to ten players after Morgane Belkhiter was sent off for a foul on Tabitha Chawinga. Ten minutes later, that same Tabitha, who plays for Lyon in France, made the extra player count: she fired a left-footed shot that crashed off the crossbar and bounced in for the 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute.

Before halftime came the second blow. Temwa Chawinga, a forward for Kansas City Current in the NWSL, left Algerian goalkeeper Chloe N'Gazi on the ground and rolled the ball into an empty net during first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0, her fifth goal of the tournament. It was a play that summed up the individual quality Malawi brought to Morocco.

The second half opened level in terms of numbers on the field, or rather, players on the field: Rose Kadzere was sent off for a challenge on Marine Dafeur, leaving both sides with ten players. Algeria pulled one back through Ikram Adjabi in the 60th minute, restoring some tension to the scoreline. But Tabitha Chawinga wasn't done for the day: in the 76th minute, she slotted the ball through an Algerian defender's legs to make it a final 3-1.

A run that already looked like a feat

Reaching the semifinals was no accident. In the quarterfinals, Malawi had beaten Ghana 2-1 with Temwa Chawinga as the standout, scoring one goal and assisting another. With this result, Malawi and Algeria, both making their debut at this stage of the competition, were confirmed among the teams already guaranteed a spot at the next Women's World Cup, since all four quarterfinal winners earned that ticket.

The other spot in the final was decided the same Wednesday, with Cameroon hosting Morocco in a match that also carried a place in Sunday's title game.

For the teams eliminated in the quarterfinals, there's still a path open to the World Cup: Nigeria will face South Africa and Ghana will face Ivory Coast, both matches scheduled for Casablanca, with the winners advancing to an intercontinental playoff.

Malawi, meanwhile, is enjoying an unprecedented moment for its women's soccer program. Reaching a continental final on the first try isn't something that happens every day, and the Chawinga sisters made sure it would be remembered for the goals, not just for the shock of the result.