Nobody really saw this coming.

Malawi made history by earning their first-ever win at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on their debut, beating defending champions Nigeria 3-2 at the Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday night in Group C.

Not many would have tipped Malawi to get past the Super Falcons before kick-off, and this certainly wasn’t the kind of start Nigeria would have expected as they began the defence of their continental title.

It is already the second major upset of the tournament after Tanzania stunned South Africa on Monday evening. 

Nigeria started the game slowly and paid the price for it.

At half-time, with the game still goalless, it almost felt like the longer the score stayed that way, the more confidence Malawi gained. Nigeria had the ball for long spells but never really looked in control, while Malawi looked comfortable waiting for their moments.

It was the kind of game that looked destined to be settled by one moment of quality. The question was who would produce it first.

The answer was Malawi.

In the 73rd minute, Temwa Chawinga raced through, rounded Chiamaka Nnadozie and calmly slotted home to give the Scorchers a deserved lead.

Six minutes later, they struck again.

Another ball over the top caught Nigeria’s defence completely off guard. Tabitha Chawinga got there first, Nnadozie rushed off her line but couldn’t stop her, and the forward calmly finished underneath the Nigerian goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

For all the quality Nigeria possess, they never looked comfortable dealing with those direct balls in behind. It was a problem throughout the game and Malawi kept exposing it.

The Super Falcons finally gave themselves hope in stoppage time when captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted from the penalty spot in the 92nd minute.

At 2-1, there was a feeling Nigeria might somehow find a way back.

Instead, Malawi responded immediately.

Another long ball over the top caught Nigeria out. Temwa Chawinga was once again the quickest to react and produced a brilliant finish, lifting the ball over Nnadozie to restore Malawi’s two-goal advantage in the 95th minute.

Uchenna Kanu pulled one back moments later to make it 3-2, but there simply wasn’t enough time left. Malawi had already done enough to secure the biggest result in their history.

This will be a painful defeat for Nigeria.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Monday, head coach Justine Madugu insisted his side would not underestimate Malawi and acknowledged they had players capable of causing problems.

But for large parts of this game, Nigeria played like a team that never truly came to grips with the threat in front of them.

There was a lack of control, especially after the break. The midfield never really dictated the tempo, while every ball played over the top looked like it could lead to something dangerous. Malawi recognised that weakness early and kept going back to it until it paid off.

Credit has to go to Malawi.

This wasn’t just about Nigeria underperforming. Malawi showed courage, discipline and belief. They defended well, stayed patient and punished Nigeria whenever the opportunities came.

As for Nigeria, Justine Madugu’s side simply failed to impose themselves. The intensity that has defined the Super Falcons for years wasn’t there, and defensively they looked vulnerable far too often.

Chiamaka Nnadozie remains the best goalkeeper in Africa, and one difficult night doesn’t change that. But by her own high standards, this wasn’t one of her better performances. She looked uncertain at times, particularly when coming off her line, and Malawi took full advantage.

The defeat leaves Nigeria with plenty of work to do.

They face Zambia on Saturday knowing just how important that game has become. Zambia opened their campaign with a 6-0 win over Egypt, so another defeat for Nigeria could leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread depending on the other result in the group.

It is a bad result, there is no hiding from that.

But it doesn’t end Nigeria’s tournament. There is still another game, another opportunity to put things right and show the response expected from defending champions.

Whether they can do that is now the biggest question.

As for Malawi, this is a night they will never forget. A first-ever WAFCON victory in your first WAFCON game, achieved against the most successful team in the competition’s history, is the perfect way to announce themselves on this stage.

Now they have the chance to build on it and perhaps prove that this wasn’t just a shock result, but the beginning of something much bigger for women’s football in Malawi.