Zambia Women held off a spirited second-half fightback from Malawi Women to secure a hard-fought 2–1 victory at full time.
The Copper Queens wasted no time imposing their authority on the match, stunning Malawi with a lightning-fast opener in just the 2nd minute. Barbara Banda pounced early to put Zambia ahead 0–1, setting an aggressive tempo right from the start.
Zambia doubled their advantage in the 37th minute when Chilufya breached the Malawian defense, extending the lead to 0–2. Malawi struggled to build momentum in the opening period, allowing Zambia to head into the interval with a comfortable two-goal cushion.
Determined to shift the momentum after the break, Malawi rallied in the second half. Their pressure paid off in the 72nd minute when they pulled a goal back to make it 1–2, igniting hopes of a late comeback.
Despite intense pressure from Malawi in the closing stages, Zambia’s defense held firm through the final whistle to lock down the 2–1 victory and take all three points.
