By Mabvuto Kambuwe in Johannesburg, South Africa:
Malawi Women’s National Football Team has one more hurdle to surmount in its quest to reach the second Cosafa Cup final in three years.
That hurdle comes in the form of Mozambique, a team the Scorchers are facing in a 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship semifinal at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, this afternoon.
Malawi last made it to the final in 2021 but failed to lift the cup after losing 1-0 to guests Tanzania.
On paper, the Scorchers are favourites to progress to the final following impressive performances in the group stage where they won three matches, scoring 15 goals and conceding four in the process.
However, Mozambique finished the group stage undefeated with seven points from three matches and are equally good.
Malawi and Mozambique are meeting for the first time in the semi-final of the competition since it was introduced in 2002.
But the two teams met during the 2021 edition’s group stages in which the Scorchers came from two goals down to beat Mozambique 3-2 in Port Elizabeth.
The two neighbours also met during Olympic Games qualifiers several years ago, with Malawi hammering Mozambique 14-1 on aggregate.
But this is a different match with a ticket to the final at stake.
At this year’s tournament, the Scorchers have been very good in the final third but vulnerable at the back.
Coach Lovemore Fazili said his troops have done enough preparations to get a positive result.
“We are more than ready for Mozambique. It will not be an easy match. We just need to make life difficult for them and deliver the killer blow,” Fazili said.
Fazili will likely welcome back six key players who he rested in a 3-1 victory over Madagascar on Tuesday.
Captain Temwa Chawinga, Madyina Ngulube, Chimwemwe Madise, Ireen Nkhumalo, Caroline Mathyola and Lyna James could all start against Mozambique.
Chawinga, who is the leading scorer at the regional contest with seven goals, said they are determined to win gold this year.
“We are ready to die for the nation. There is a great feeling in camp that we can do it this year,” Chawinga said.
Goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo is likely to maintain her place in the starting line-up alongside Patricia Nyirenda and Sabina Thom.
Mozambique love a compact game and play as a unit, attacking like a swarm of bees.
They also have individual quality which has made a difference for them in the group stages where they managed to hold defending champions Zambia to a goal-less stalemate in an opening match last week.
Cosafa has arranged for the use of VAR during the semifinal matches.
In the other last four match, Zambia will take on Zimbabwe.
