Tabitha Chawinga scored a hattrick as Malawi took charge of Group C at the 2022 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship with a 6-0 victory over Comoros at the Madibaz Stadium on Monday.

The victory leaves the Scorchers top of the pool going into the final round of games, where victory against defending champions Tanzania will ensure they finish top.

But should their clash finish in a draw, and Botswana beat Comoros, that will leave all three teams on five points and officials will need to get their calculators out to check the head-to-head scenario.

It looks to be the tightest of the groups, where two teams who finish on five points could yet advance to the semifinals.

Malawi took the lead on 17 minutes as Fazila Chembekezo looped a header over Comoros goalkeeper Aicha Said after a period of heavy pressure.

It took until the second half for the Scorchers to secure a second goal as Rose Kadzere fired home from the edge of the six-yard box.

After that it became the Chawinga show as she netted a hattrick inside 19 minutes, her first a close-range tap-in, the second a cool finish after she beat the offside trap, and finally a thunderous strike from inside the box.

Wezzie Mvula had been a thorn in the side for Comoros all game and netted Malawi’s sixth as she too ran in behind the islanders’ defense and rounded the goalkeeper.