Malawi Exit U20 Qualifiers Despite Second-Leg Win Over Nigeria

Victory Without Qualification

HEAD coach Maggie Chombo has shared her thoughts following Malawi’s exit from the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers at the hands of Nigeria’s Falconets.

Despite securing a 2-1 victory in the second leg on home soil, Malawi were eliminated after a 3-2 aggregate loss, having fallen 2-0 in the first leg in Nigeria.

First-Leg Deficit Proves Costly

The Southern African side entered the return leg with a difficult task after conceding two goals in the opening fixture.

Although they responded strongly in front of their home fans, the narrow win was not enough to overturn the deficit, as Nigeria’s earlier advantage ultimately proved decisive.

Coach Praises Team’s Effort

Reacting after the match, Chombo commended her players for their resilience and commitment throughout the qualifying campaign.

She acknowledged the disappointment of missing out on qualification but emphasised the positives from the team’s performance.

“We won the match, but our aim was to qualify and unfortunately, we didn’t make it. I thank the girls for the spirited performance. We have learned a lot, and it was a good campaign,” she said.

Falconets Progress

Nigeria’s Falconets advanced to the next round after doing enough across both legs to secure qualification.

The result underlines the team’s consistency and experience at this level, keeping their World Cup hopes alive.