World Cup Qualifier: Malawi Manager Pledges to Halt Nigerian Women's Team

Maggie Chombo, the head coach of Malawi's women's U-20 team, is optimistic that her squad can reverse the deficit they incurred against Nigeria when they face off in the second leg of the final qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

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The Falconets secured a dominant 2-0 win in the first leg, which took place in Ikenne on Saturday, thereby bolstering Nigeria's chances of participating in the tournament for yet another year, having been a constant presence since the competition's inception as an U-19 event in Canada in 2002.

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After a first half that yielded no goals, the Falconets broke the deadlock courtesy of an own goal by Maureen Kenneth, and Kindness Ifeanyi subsequently doubled the advantage, giving Nigeria a comfortable lead.

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Although Malawi launched a late attempt to mount a comeback, Nigeria's defense held firm, ensuring that the team would enter the second leg with a two-goal cushion, and thus, the upper hand.

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Moses Adukwu, Nigeria's head coach, will lead his team into the second leg, scheduled to take place in a week's time, with the advantage of a two-goal lead, but Maggie Chombo remains confident in her team's ability to turn the tie around.

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Following the first leg, Chombo expressed her confidence, stating, "We have learnt, and we will go back and work on those areas," and added, "They have managed to score on their pitch, but we are going to do so as well in front of our supporters.

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Chombo further emphasized that everything is possible and that her team will do their best to win the game at home, as she noted, "Everything is possible, and we are going to do our best to win the game at home."

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The return leg is set to take place at the Bingu National Stadium on Saturday, May 9, with the kick-off scheduled for 3pm Malawi time, which is 2pm in Nigeria.