The Malawi National Football Team, the Flames, triumphed over Sao Tome & Principe with a 3-1 victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Building on their previous win against Liberia (1-0) and a narrow loss to Tunisia in November 2023, the Flames have secured their second win in the qualifiers.
This victory move Malawi to third place in Group H, with six points from three games.
Tunisia lead the group with nine points, followed by Namibia with seven points. Liberia stands fourth with four points, while Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome & Principe remain at the bottom with no points.
The match saw Chawanangwa Kaonga score the opener in the fifth minute, followed by Lanjesi Nkhoma’s goal in the 13th minute.
Sao Tome & Principe pulled one back through Da Silva in the 66th minute of the second half.
However, Chifundo Mphasi’s goal in the 77th minute sealed the win for the Flames.
Malawi’s next fixture is an away match against Equatorial Guinea on June 10, 2024.
They will then host Namibia in March 2025 before facing Tunisia in a crucial encounter.
With this win, the Flames keep their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification hopes alive.
In an interview, Flames coach Patrick Mabedi commended his charges for putting up a spirited performance.
