Malawi U-20 women’s head coach Maggie Chombo has refused to accept that her side’s chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup are finished, despite facing a two-goal deficit following the first leg of their qualifying tie against Nigeria’s Falconets.
“We have learnt from this game, and we will go back and work on those areas. They scored on their pitch, but we will also do the same at home. Everything is possible, and we will give our best to win,” Chombo said after the defeat.
The opening leg was played in Ikenne, Nigeria, where the Falconets controlled large portions of the match before finally making their dominance count in the second half. The opening goal arrived via an own goal from Malawi defender Maureen Kenneth, with Kindness Ifeanyi subsequently doubling the advantage to hand Nigeria a commanding two-goal cushion ahead of the return fixture.
Despite a competitive first half that offered Malawi some encouragement, Nigeria’s second-half quality ultimately proved the difference. The Falconets’ victory moves them a significant step closer to securing a place at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The return leg is set to be played at the Bingu National Stadium in Malawi on May 9, with kick-off scheduled for 2 pm Nigerian time. Malawi will need to score at least three goals without conceding to advance on aggregate, a task made more challenging given Nigeria’s defensive organisation displayed in the first leg.
Nigeria’s Falconets had previously progressed through an earlier qualifying round, defeating Senegal to set up this tie against Malawi. The Falconets have a strong historical record in CAF-organised youth competitions, having qualified for multiple editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup over the past decade.
For Malawi, overturning a two-goal deficit on home soil would represent a significant achievement for a side still developing its women’s football programme. Chombo, however, appears determined to use the home crowd at the Bingu National Stadium as a key factor in her team’s pursuit of an unlikely reversal.
