She Cranes lose to Malawi Queens in Liverpool
Stella Oyella (foreground) was player of the match against Samoa & Scotland
The She Cranes on Friday night lost to Malawi 55-44 in the ongoing Netball World Cup in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
The Queens, ranked ninth before the game, started the first quarter fast-paced and challenged Uganda in the midcourt to score 12 goals against Uganda’s 9. Their combination of Jane Chimaliro and Joyce Mvula increased the three-goal difference between the two African teams to seven in the second quarter.
By half time, Uganda had thirty minutes to close the gap or for Malawi to extend the lead. But the effort by Uganda's shooters Rachael Nanyonga and Peace Proscovia yielded fewer results.
Uganda's wing defender Sylvia Nanyonga and wing attacker Ruth Meeme lost several balls passed on to them by Jesca Achan in the centre.
Malawi's centre Takondwa Lwazi capitalised on Uganda's poor transition, blind passes and overly used long passes to pass on balls that ended up in the hands of either Mvula or Chimaliro in the shooting circle. Uganda was trailing with less than three minutes to end of the final quarter and the game ended 55-44.
Uganda's head coach Vincent Kiwanuka attributed the loss to ill fate, saying that "It wasn't really our day... They overtook our centre..." Nonetheless, he is proud of Malawi and South Africa alongside Uganda and Zimbabwe for representing Africa and within the best 8 category in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Malawi's head coach, Whyte Mlilima says his team is also prepared to face-off Jamaica in the 5th position contest slated for Sunday morning. Jamaica defeated Zimbabwe 77-47.
Uganda and Zimbabwe will face-off for 7th position on Sunday morning, before the game for 3rd and 4th places.
The World Cup climaxes on Sunday with the final game.
