Malawi Sisters Score Historic Women's Cup Final Berth

Two sisters just turned their national team's first tournament appearance into one of the greatest underdog stories in African football.

Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga combined for all three goals Wednesday as Malawi defeated Algeria 3-1 in Rabat, Morocco, reaching the Women's Africa Cup of Nations final in their debut tournament appearance. No team has accomplished this feat since Zimbabwe in 2000.

The match at Olympic Stadium turned dramatic early when Algeria's Morgane Belkhiter received a red card after a VAR review for denying captain Tabitha Chawinga a clear scoring chance. The elder Chawinga sister made them pay in the 33rd minute with a spectacular overhead kick that bounced off the crossbar and spun across the line.

Younger sister Temwa doubled the lead in stoppage time before halftime. Both teams then played a man down in the second half after Malawi also received a red card, but the sisters weren't finished yet.

Algeria's Ikram Adjabi briefly sparked hope with a goal after the restart. Tabitha Chawinga quickly ended any comeback dreams with her second goal of the match, sealing the 3-1 victory and Malawi's place in Sunday's final.

The Ripple Effect

Malawi entered this tournament as the lowest-ranked nation in the competition. Their journey to the final required defeating three established African football powers: Nigeria, Ghana, and Algeria.

Temwa Chawinga now has six total goal involvements at the tournament with four goals and two assists, tying Zambia's Barbra Banda for the most at these finals. The sisters have carried their team on their shoulders, turning what seemed impossible into reality.

Algeria still has reason to celebrate despite the semifinal loss. This tournament marked their first-ever semifinal appearance and secured their qualification for the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, mirroring their men's team's debut at the same venue in 2014.

Malawi's fairytale continues to Sunday's final, where they'll compete for the continental championship in what has become one of the most inspiring stories in recent African football history.