Malawi secured a crucial 1-0 away victory over Liberia in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on November 18, 2023. The Flames navigated a tough away trip to Monrovia to claim all three points in this Group H encounter, thanks to a well-taken goal in the second half. The match was a physical and tightly-fought contest, with both teams creating half-chances. Liberia, spurred on by their home crowd, pressed forward but found Malawi's defense difficult to break down. The decisive moment came when Malawi capitalized on a turnover, scoring with a precise finish. The visitors then managed the game expertly, absorbing pressure to hold on for a clean sheet and a winning start to their campaign, putting them level at the top of the group with Comoros.