Tabitha Chawinga scored twice and sister Temwa Chawinga once as tournament outsiders Malawi beat Algeria 3-1 on Wednesday in Rabat to reach the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
Cameroon will face the giant-killers in the deciding game after defeating hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra time.
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Malawi are ranked 153rd in the world, 116 places below the pre-WAFCON favourites and record 10-time champions Nigeria, who bowed out in the quarter-finals.
Debutants Malawi took advantage of Algeria’s Morgane Belkhiter red card for a foul on the last defender midway through the first half to build a 2-0 lead at the break.
Captain Tabitha Chawinga struck with an overhead kick on 33 minutes after a corner, and Temwa Chawinga rounded goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi to score one minute into added time.
Having scored twice, Malawi were also reduced to 10 players when Rose Kadzere was sent off for a studs-up tackle just before the break.
Algeria pulled one goal back on 60 minutes through Ikram Adjabi only for Tabitha Chawinga to restore the two-goal advantage with a solo goal after 76 minutes.
Kansas City-based Temwa Chawinga has struck five goals in the marquee African women’s football tournament to be joint leading scorer. Tabitha from French club Lyon has netted four times.
After conceding a third time, there was no way back for Algeria, who must settle for the third-place play-off against Morocco on Saturday.
On Sunday, Malawi and Cameroon will do battle with a record $2 million first prize on the line.
In the later match, goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, who switched from being a forward because a coach believed her height would make her an outstanding shot-stopper, was the Cameroon heroine.
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She saved a Fatima Tagnaout penalty late in extra time, then blocked three consecutive spot-kicks in the shootout.
The agility of Portugal-based Bihina left Cameroon needing to convert one of their last two penalties to win and Myriam Nyadjou duly obliged.
By reaching the semi-finals, Malawi, Algeria, Morocco and Cameroon have qualified for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
