Malawi women’s U-20 head coach Maggie Chombo has expressed confidence that her side can overturn a two-goal deficit against Nigeria in the second leg of their 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying tie.
Nigeria’s Falconets secured a 2–0 victory in the first leg played in Ikenne on Saturday, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the tournament.
After a goalless first half, the hosts broke the deadlock through an own goal by Maureen Kenneth, before Kindness Ifeanyi added a second to seal the win.
Despite the setback, Chombo remains optimistic about her team’s chances in the return leg, insisting they will improve and take advantage of playing at home.
“We have learnt from the first leg and will work on our weaknesses. They scored on their ground, and we believe we can do the same in front of our fans,” she said.
The second leg will be played at the Bingu National Stadium on May 9, where Malawi will need at least a two-goal victory to force a comeback, while Nigeria aim to secure qualification for the global tournament.
