Adjabi pulls Algeria back into Women’s AFCON semi-final against Malawi

Algeria have been given renewed hope in the first semi-final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 after Ikram Adjabi scored to reduce Malawi’s advantage.

The Vertes went into half-time two goals behind, with both sides having been reduced to 10 players. However, Algeria returned from the interval with greater urgency and began to take control of the contest.

Marine Dafeur was central to the response, helping Algeria apply sustained pressure to a Malawi defence that had previously managed to maintain the pace of the match. The pressure eventually told as Malawi struggled to cope and began to concede a series of fouls.

One of those infringements presented Algeria with the opportunity they needed. Dafeur delivered the resulting free-kick, sending the ball into a dangerous area for the Malawi defence to deal with.

The delivery exposed a gap at the far post, where Adjabi had been left unmarked. She made no mistake from close range, finishing the move to bring Algeria back into the contest.

The goal changed the atmosphere of the semi-final and ensured the match was no longer under Malawi’s control. Algeria’s second-half response has put the Vertes within reach of recovering from their two-goal deficit, while Malawi must now withstand renewed pressure.

For Malawi and their coach Lovemore Fazili, the challenge is to restore the defensive resilience shown before the interval. Their ability to manage Algeria’s attacks had kept them in a strong position, but the repeated fouls and lapse that led to Adjabi’s goal have given their opponents a route back into the game.

Algeria’s revival has been driven by a more forceful performance after half-time, with Dafeur’s set-piece delivery providing the decisive moment. Adjabi’s positioning at the far post allowed her to take advantage of Malawi’s defensive error and give the Vertes a valuable lifeline.

The semi-final remains open, with the two teams still separated by Malawi’s advantage but Algeria now pressing for a further breakthrough. What had looked like a comfortable position for Malawi has become a tense finish, with the momentum having shifted towards Algeria.

Adjabi’s goal has therefore done more than narrow the deficit. It has completely revived Algeria’s hopes of reaching the final and relaunches a contest that had appeared to be moving firmly in Malawi’s favour.