The Malawi National Women’s Football Team, the Scorchers, have given both Malawians and sponsor National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc, renewed hope ahead of the upcoming COSAFA and WAFCON qualifiers after sealing back-to-back 3–0 victories over Lesotho in Blantyre.

The Scorchers secured a double successive 3–0 victory courtesy of Asimenye Simwaka’s brace and Sabina Thom in the first match on Friday. Simwaka also netted a hat-trick in the second encounter on Sunday.

NBM, which has invested K140 million in supporting the Scorchers this year, says the results show the team’s potential to rise further and justify the bank’s backing. NBM plc Product Development and Strategy Manager, Ibrahim Chapeyama, said the victories were a clear sign of progress.

“We are happy with the overall performance of our ‘Pangolins’. They proved that we did not make a mistake in associating our brand with them. The friendlies have been very impressive. I am particularly pleased with the performance of our ladies, which I believe is a direct result of the NBM Premiership. Even the coach has acknowledged the impact of the league on the team’s progress,” said Chapeyama.

Chapeyama also hailed the Scorchers as a “true national treasure” and commended the fans for their passionate support.

“Looking ahead, we are eager to see continued strong performances from the team and even greater support from Malawians across the country. The level of play we have seen is encouraging. With the return of our international players, we are confident that we can advance through the qualifiers and lift the Scorchers to even greater heights,” Chapeyama added.

Head Coach Lovemore Fazili said the matches were crucial in building coordination between experienced and new players.

“It was a fair game; we are just trying to get good coordination between the regulars and the new players, so with the results, I am impressed,” said Fazili.

The Scorchers played the two friendlies as part of their preparations for the COSAFA Women’s Championship and Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers scheduled for October.

Source: https://malawi24.com/2025/09/05/scorchers-winning-streak-gives-sponsor-hope-ahead-of-qualifiers/