SOUTH AFRICA GETS OFF TO FLYING START AT 2024 AFRICA NETBALL CUP
SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA – South Africa got off to a flying start at the Africa Netball Cup 2024, which kicked off this Monday at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund. The men’s and women’s teams made resounding statements on the tournament’s opening day.
Owethu Ngubane was unable to travel with the squad to Namibia due to injury but will be ready to return for the series in Jamaica in January.
South Africa’s men’s team, who are the defending champions, turned on a dominant performance, securing a 98-8 victory over Lesotho in their opening match. The team, led by Sicelo Gamede in Goal Defence, showcased exceptional strength, establishing a commanding 48-6 lead by halftime. They sealed their win in the final two quarters.
The victory marked the international debuts of several promising players: Vukile Zulu, Kwandile Sithole, Shane Labuschagne, Romeo Nqcaku, and Lwazi Nzama. In their second match, the South African men continued their winning streak with a convincing 67-38 victory over debutants Namibia.
They Were All Fired Up
Head Coach of the SA men’s team, Jabulani Vilane, praised his troops’ confidence and execution in the first match against Lesotho, while acknowledging areas for improvement observed in the second game against Namibia.
“The game was not that tough against Lesotho, but the boys’ confidence was good; they were all fired up and they performed all the combinations we tried very well,” said Vilane. Meanwhile, the South African women’s team, the SPAR Proteas, also enjoyed an impressive start to their campaign, securing a record-breaking 74-29 victory over Kenya.
This marks their largest-ever winning margin and highest-ever goal tally against Kenya in an Africa Netball Cup match. It surpassed their previous best of 67-25 (a 42-goal difference) in 2021. The SPAR Proteas demonstrated exceptional speed and precision, establishing a significant 21-5 lead after the first quarter. The experienced captain, Khanyisa Chawane, led the charge.
Their dominance continued throughout the match. At halftime, they had a commanding 41-11 lead. They went on to win the third quarter by 58-20 points.
Tough One Against Malawi
SPAR Proteas coach Jenny van Dyk expressed satisfaction with the team’s victory over Kenya but said there is room for improvement. She highlighted the need for greater clinical execution and emphasised the importance of thorough analysis and adjustments before facing Malawi.
“I’m happy with the result and the score line of the match, but it is different from the standard we want to deliver. We weren’t as clinical as we wanted to be and we have a lot of work to do and a lot of talking and sorting to do before our next match, which will be a tough one against Malawi again,” she said.
Both South African teams have set high standards for the remainder of the tournament and will aim to maintain their winning momentum as they strive to clinch the title in their respective divisions. They will return to action on Tuesday – Day 2 of the tournament. The SPAR Proteas will face Malawi at 18:00 and the men’s team will face Zimbabwe simultaneously.
Follow SuperSport Variety 4 Channel 209, MICT Namibia and YouTube for more match visuals.
