Adaramola Yemiblak
May 1, 2026U-20 Women’s World Cup (Q): Malawi coach Chombo braces for tough first leg encounter against Falconets
Photo: Adaramola Yemiblak
U-20 Women’s World Cup (Q): Malawi coach Chombo braces for tough first leg encounter against Falconets
Malawi U-20 women’s national team coach Maggie Chombo revealed that she expects a tough encounter when her side locks horns with Nigeria’s Falconets in the first leg of their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying tie on Saturday.
Chombo made the remark on Friday during a pre-match press conference as her team prepares for the first leg at Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne.
The Young Scorchers are seeking a maiden qualification for a FIFA women’s tournament in a tie that will ultimately decide one of Africa’s four representatives at the global tournament in Poland.
Next stop: the 4th and final round of the U-20 WWC Qualifiers. Who are you backing? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gyFKGhe021
— CAF Women’s Football (@CAFwomen) May 1, 2026
Chombo eyes historic qualification for U-20 Women’s World Cup
Speaking ahead of the match, Chombo acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter while confirming that victory would be a landmark achievement for both the team and Malawian football.
“I know it will not be an easy game because Nigeria is a strong team and they have played in this tournament for so many years. I know it will be a tough game but as a coach I am expecting a good game. To win this game and qualify, it is a big achievement for me as a coach and for the fans as well.
And that is a big reward for the football in Malawi. As you all know, we are coming and Malawi football is growing.”
Team captain Leticia Chinyamula also reflected on the high morale within the squad, revealing that their sole aim is to win.
“Our aim is to score and win the game. The game will be a test tomorrow, and each and every team will pay attention and will give their best so that at the end it can produce good results. The morale and the motivation is very high for the Malawian players.”
This encounter marks the first competitive meeting between Nigeria and the Young Scorchers at the U-20 level.
Malawi’s journey to this stage has been dramatic; after edging through earlier rounds, they produced a standout performance against Guinea-Bissau. A 1-1 away draw set the platform before a dominant 5-1 home victory sealed a 6-2 aggregate win and a place in the final round.
