COSAFA: Malawi coach Fazili braces for tough South Africa

Malawi senior women’s national team coach Lovemore Fazili has reacted to the COSAFA Women’s Championship draw, saying the Scorchers’ success would depend on sound preparations.

The Scorchers were drawn alongside hosts South Africa, Angola and Lesotho, Group A opponents the coach admitted were tough. The draw took place in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

 

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“It is a good draw. Draws always come out like that, so what we are going to do is to prepare very well. At the same time, the players are aware [of the challenge ahead]. South Africa and Angola are strong teams so we expect tough matches. At the end of the day, we need to get positive results,” Fazili said.

The regional women’s football showpiece is scheduled from February 18 to 1 March in Polokwane, South Africa, after a hiatus last year.

The 11 participating teams were drawn into three groups—two comprising four each and the other three—ensuring no premature collision of traditional giants, South Africa and the defending champions, Zambia.

Holders Chipolopolo Queens, who edged South Africa in the 2024 final to win their second-ever title, will start their title defence from Group B comprising neighbours Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Botswana.

Fast-improving Mozambique are certainly the team to watch in Group C that consists of Madagascar and Namibia, who have never won the title of the competition.

Why there is a three-member group

This is the only three-member group. Mauritius, Comoros and Seychelles and Namibia are conspicuously absent from this year’s competition; hence, the imbalance in the numbers in Group C.

Outlining the competition’s playing format via a statement, COSAFA says the overall winner of each group will progress to the semifinal stage alongside the best runner up.

“Because there are three teams in Group C, results against the bottom sides in Groups A and B will be disregarded for the purposes of that calculation,” reads the statement.

Matches will be broadcast live on FIFA+ and COSAFA’s YouTube channel.

COSAFA Women’s Championship offers South Africa, Zambia and Malawi, a platform to fine-tune for their participation in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals scheduled from March 17 to April 3.