Defending champions Malawi defeated Mauritius 9-0 in a must-win match to finish top of  Group B at the 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship, advancing to the semifinals.

Leticia Chinyamula and Sabina Thom each scored three goals, while Asimenye Simwaka, Catherine Kachala, and Maureen Kenneth also netted a goal each.

Malawi was second in Group B with four points same as Botswana, after beating Madagascar 1-0 and drawing Mares 1-1.

The Scorchers needed to score more than five goals to qualify if Botswana beat Madagascar. They managed to score nine goals without conceding, while Madagascar drew Botswana 0-0, giving the Malawians a chance to finish first.

Malawi leads Group B with 7 points from three games, followed by Botswana (5 points), Madagascar (3 points), and Mauritius (0 points).

The Scorchers will face the winner of Group C, which includes Zambia, the Comoros, and Angola. The group will be decided tomorrow when Zambia faces the Comoros. Both have three points after beating Angola 3-0 and 3-1, respectively.

Meanwhile, Malawi’s coach, Lovemore Fazili, says he expects to face Zambia in the semifinals and has issued a warning.

“I know we will meet Zambia. We are not here for fun; we are here for a real battle. Our target is to reach finals; I am sure we will meet Zambia. We are now preparing for Zambia; we have work to do for Zambia; we will have special training for Zambia, not only training but also to have prayers for Zambia,” he said.

Malawi won the 2023 Cosafa Cup after beating Zambia 2-1. They will aim to defend their title.

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