Malawi's three-goal tally settled the result, while Nigeria's two goals left the home side one short. The score produced a one-goal margin and a clear winner, with the away side finishing ahead when the match ended. In the basic stats, Malawi led the final count 3-2.
The headline highlights are contained in that scoreline. It records a completed Malawi win rather than a draw and gives Nigeria a defeat by the smallest possible winning margin. Both teams scored in the match, but Malawi's total exceeded Nigeria's by one.
The summary is straightforward: Malawi took the result with three goals and Nigeria finished with two. The final score can be written from either perspective - Malawi 3-2 Nigeria or Nigeria 2-3 Malawi - without changing the outcome. The match closed with Malawi ahead, Nigeria behind, and the competition result settled.