Uganda books Africa Netball Cup finals date with South Africa

Uganda’s national netball team, She Cranes, has advanced to the finals of the Africa Netball Cup after a hard-fought 51-43 victory over Malawi at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund, Namibia.

The She Cranes demonstrated remarkable resilience after a sluggish start, trailing by six goals (8-14) at the end of the first quarter. However, they staged a stunning comeback in the second quarter, levelling the score at 23-23. Goal shooter Mary Nuba was instrumental in this turnaround, delivering under pressure with clinical precision.

In the third quarter, Uganda seized control of the game, extending their lead to 39-32. This dominance was fueled by Margret Baagala’s sharp feeds from the midcourt and strong defensive interceptions. The team maintained their momentum in the final quarter, securing a commanding eight-goal victory to set up a showdown with South Africa in the finals.

“Of course, everyone knows that Uganda is an award team as usual, we have a different way of playing which is very hard for them to manage, and I know our skills are always very different, it is always very hard for people to get to understand how Uganda plays,” Cranes captain Irene Eyaru said after the match. 

The She Cranes will now on Saturday face South Africa who earlier booked their place in the final after a convincing 63-41 win over Zimbabwe in the first semi-final. Eyaru expressed confidence in her team’s ability to rise to the occasion, emphasizing their determination to clinch the title.

That is our first goal, since we came here, that has been our first mission, we are not here to chill around or show off, what we came to do is to win the championship and go back as number one,” Eyaru affirmed.

The She Cranes’ journey to the final has been anything but smooth. They started the tournament with a shocking 49-50 loss to Zimbabwe in Pool B but quickly rebounded with a 55-43 win over hosts Namibia and an emphatic 85-34 victory over Eswatini. These results secured their spot in the semi-finals, where they delivered a stellar performance to overcome Malawi.

Uganda now faces a formidable opponent in South Africa, known for their disciplined structure and tactical prowess. Building on their current momentum will be crucial for the She Cranes to secure the championship.

This year marks Uganda’s return to the Africa Netball Cup after missing last year’s edition, which was won by Zambia. The team’s withdrawal from the 2023 tournament came amid management turmoil within the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF). The crisis led to the National Council of Sports revoking the UNF’s certificate of recognition, disrupting preparations.