Lilongwe, Malawi – The Kenya men’s netball team put up an “epic” fight but ultimately fell short against defending champions South Africa, losing their Africa Netball Cup semi-final clash 46-41 in Lilongwe, Malawi Saturday afternoon.
In what was a thrilling encounter, the Kenyan side went toe-to-toe with the continental giants for the majority of the match, demonstrating significant grit and closing the gap on multiple occasions.
However, the champions’ resilience shone through in the crucial final quarter, allowing them to pull ahead and secure their spot in the final.
Trailing by just a single goal after the first 15 minutes (11-10) and only two goals at halftime (23-21), Kenya’s strategic play and defensive efforts kept the pressure firmly on the reigning titleholders.
The three-goal deficit (35-32) heading into the final quarter suggested a potential upset, but the South African side dug deep, using their experience to control the final stages and ultimately win by five goals.
Focus Shifts to Bronze Medal Match
While the gold medal dream is over, the tournament is not yet done for the resilient Kenyan men.
South Africa now advances to the final where they will face Zimbabwe, who defeated Eswatini 44-34 in the other semi-final.
Kenya will now face Eswatini in the third-place playoff—the classification match for the bronze medal. All final games are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, promising another exciting day of African netball action.
The match against Eswatini presents a huge opportunity for Kenya to finish the tournament on a high and secure a medal, a significant achievement for the rising force in African men’s netball.
Wow, what a fantastic effort from the Kenyan team! It was truly inspiring to see them compete so bravely against such strong opposition.