*Fazili Praises Scorchers' Performance, COSAFA Tourney Timing*

Scorchers head coach, Lovemore Fazili, is satisfied with his team's performance in the COSAFA Women's Championship, citing that most players performed well, giving him hope ahead of the Women's African Cup of Nations in Morocco next month.

Fazili said this on Tuesday afternoon after securing a hard-fought 1-0 win over Angola in their final Group A match, finishing second with 6 points from two wins and one defeat.

The team played their final match knowing they were out of the competition after Zimbabwe had already secured the best runners-up place.

Against Angola, Scorchers needed a 44-meter free kick from Ireen Khumalo to secure the win, despite a poor performance that saw their opponents dominate the game.

However, Fazili praised the timing of the tournament, saying it helped him assess the players' capabilities ahead of WAFCON.

"We faced South Africa and Angola as strong teams, and the players did well.

They did most of the things I told them, which impresses me," Fazili said.

He added that the team has formed one of their strongest lineups, giving him confidence that with European and American-based attackers, they'll cause havoc at the continental tournament.

Fazili confirmed the team won't break their camp, eyeing thorough preparation and coordination. He promised fans a better performance at WAFCON.

"I know people aren't happy because they expected more from us. We tried, but the rules say one team, and it's tough. But I promise them we've seen the problems, and we'll do better at WAFCON," he added.

Malawi will play at WAFCON for the first time, having beaten Angola 2-0 on aggregate in qualifying matches. They're in Group C with Nigeria, Zambia, and Egypt. The tournament serves as 2026 Poland FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers for the top four teams.