Malawi beat Egypt 3-1 in the African Women's Cup of Nations group stage second round on Friday. The visitors moved clear of their group opponents, extending a run that has seen them take six points from three games. Egypt remain winless after three defeats and sit bottom of the standings.
Matters were settled by the half-time break, though the match offered little in terms of sustained pressure from either side. Egypt dominated possession at 43 per cent but managed only one corner throughout the contest. Malawi, with 57 per cent of the ball, earned fourteen corners and created more clear-cut chances.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Malawi registered 160 attacks compared to Egypt's 131, and their shot accuracy of 47 per cent proved decisive against Egypt's 38 per cent. Nine shots on target produced three goals for the visitors, while six attempts on target yielded just one for the hosts. By then, the result had been decided.
Egypt's form has been difficult to read. They beat Senegal 1-0 earlier this month before losing 1-0 away to the same side and then 6-0 to Zambia. This defeat leaves them with zero points and no victories in their first three group matches. Malawi, meanwhile, have won twice and lost once, sitting third on six points.
The visitors will look to build on this result as the group stage progresses. Egypt face a mountain to climb to avoid elimination, and this match offered no sign of a turnaround. The goal difference now stands at -5 for Egypt and +2 for Malawi after three rounds of fixtures.