Malawi Women’s Football Team coach Lovemore Fazili has downplayed his side’s 3-0 loss to South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in a friendly match, assuring fans that he is focused on building a strong squad by October.
Fazili attributed the defeat to poor execution by the strikers and midfielders, noting they failed to follow the game plan. However, he commended the defense and goalkeeper Mercy Sikero for their solid performance.
The friendly was played on Sunday, with a second match scheduled for today at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus before the Scorchers return home.
The matches are part of Malawi’s preparations for their upcoming clash against Angola in the second round of qualifiers for the 2026 Morocco Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Fazili said, “We did not play as expected; some areas in front and midfield failed to deliver. In defence, we tried, but it was a bad game anyway. The goalkeeper also tried. People should not be worried about the defeat because the aim was to test some players, and by October we should have a very good team.
“Hopefully these players will still be with us. The match has helped us to know where we need to work on,” said Fazili.
Despite him calling for a lot of professional players across, only a few managed to join the camp.
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