Harambee Starlets Receive Chilling Warning as Next Opponents Malawi Hit Seven Past Zimbabwe

Harambee Starlets may have thrashed Seychelles 22-0 on aggregate in their Olympics qualifier but the job ahead is daunting.

Kenya secured the big win courtesy of identical 11-0 wins both in the first and second legs which were played in Nairobi.

That sent them into the next round and it does not get any better for Kenya as they will take on 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finalists Malawi.

Malawi, who were the surprise package at WAFCON where they stunned giants to make it to the final before losing to Cameroon, sent a chilling warning to Kenya with a big win of their own in the Olympics qualifiers.

The Scorchers had no mercy for Zimbabwe who they beat 9-0 on aggregate with a second leg masterclass that will worry Kenya.

Having won the first leg 2-0, Malawi put up a seven-star performance in the return match and it did not even matter that they were the away team.

Temwa Chawinga, one of the stars at WAFCON 2026, led the rout by scoring four goals, netting in the seventh, 29th, 52nd and 56th minutes for a 4-0 lead in the second leg clash, before goals from Chisomo Banda, Asimenye Simwaka and Sarah Mulimbika in the final four minutes of the contest completed the rout.

“We came here to score goals. We wanted a win to proceed to the next stage and I’m happy because it has happened,” said Malawi coach Lovemore Fazili. “We missed a lot of chances in the first leg in Lilongwe but it was a different story today.”

It was a victory that underlines Malawi’s dominance and emergence as a force in African women’s football and Kenya have their work cut out during the next round if they want to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.