Malawi coach Maggie Chombo backs comeback ahead of return leg against Falconets
Malawi U-20 women’s head coach Maggie Chombo has expressed firm belief that her side can overturn a two-goal deficit against Nigeria when both teams meet in the second leg of their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
Nigeria’s Falconets took control of the tie with a commanding 2-0 victory in the first leg in Ikenne, continuing their long-standing dominance in the competition. The result puts the seven-time World Cup participants in a strong position as they chase yet another appearance on the global stage, a tournament they have featured in consistently since its inception in 2002.
After a tightly contested first half ended goalless, the breakthrough came in unfortunate fashion for Malawi, as Maureen Kenneth turned the ball into her own net. The Falconets capitalised on the momentum, with Kindness Ifeanyi calmly doubling Nigeria’s lead to give the hosts a deserved cushion.
Malawi pushed late in search of a lifeline, but Nigeria’s disciplined defensive shape ensured they held firm to secure a clean sheet and a valuable advantage heading into the return leg.
Despite the setback, Chombo remains optimistic about her team’s chances of staging a comeback on home soil.
“We have learnt, and we will go back and work on those areas,” she said after the match. “They have managed to score on their pitch, but we are going to do so as well in front of our supporters. Everything is possible, and we are going to do our best to win the game at home.”
The decisive second leg will take place at the Bingu National Stadium on Saturday, May 9, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm local time (2pm Nigeria time), where Malawi will hope home support can inspire a turnaround against a confident Nigerian side.
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