Nigeria’s Super Falcons suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The result came as a major upset, with the ten-time African champions letting a hard-fought contest slip away despite their late efforts to stage a comeback.
The match remained evenly balanced until the final stages when Malawi took control through the Chawinga sisters. Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring in the 69th minute before Tabitha Chawinga doubled the advantage five minutes later to put the Scorchers in command. Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty in stoppage time to give Nigeria hope, but Temwa Chawinga struck again in the 95th minute to restore Malawi’s two-goal cushion. Uchenna Kanu found the net in the 98th minute, but her goal only served as a consolation as Malawi held on to secure a famous 3-2 victory.
While there were individual mistakes on the pitch, one of the biggest talking points was head coach Justine Madugu’s tactical decisions.
The most questionable was deploying Michelle Alozie at left-back instead of her natural right-back position. Alozie has consistently excelled on the right side for both club and country, where her pace, defensive awareness and attacking runs make her one of Nigeria’s most dependable players.
Playing her on the left appeared to work in Malawi’s favour. The Scorchers repeatedly attacked down that flank, exploiting the spaces and forcing Nigeria into difficult defensive situations. With Alozie operating out of position, the Super Falcons struggled to contain Malawi’s dangerous attacks, especially during the decisive moments of the game.
Madugu’s substitutions also came under scrutiny. Payne was introduced in an attempt to change the game but failed to make the desired impact.
More importantly, the coach delayed making further changes despite clear signs that Nigeria needed fresh legs and a tactical reshuffle. By the time additional substitutions were made, Malawi had already gained momentum and looked comfortable protecting their lead.
Although the players must share responsibility for the defeat, the decision to play Michelle Alozie out of position, combined with the coach’s slow response from the bench, proved costly.
Against a confident Malawi side that punished every defensive lapse, those tactical choices played a significant role in the Super Falcons’ disappointing start to their campaign.