The Spar Proteas have advanced to the 2024 Africa Netball Cup semi-finals following a convincing victory over defending champions Zambia, at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund, Namibia, on Thursday, 12 December 2024.
The sheer brilliance of South Africa’s Netball team on display saw South Africa advance to the semi-finals following a convincing 71-48 victory against defending champions Zambia.
The Spar Proteas quickly established a strong foundation in the first quarter, sealing the quarter at 15-9. They used swift ball movement and accurate shooting to gain an early advantage.
In the second quarter, the Proteas continued to exert pressure, showcasing their defensive prowess and clinical finishing in the circle to take a 32-22 lead at half-time.
The Proteas maintained their dominance, demonstrating their superior fitness and tactical acumen to win the third quarter 52-34 and eventually sealed victory by a considerable margin of 23 goals.
Spar Proteas coach Jenny Van Dyk acknowledged that Zambia’s strong performance disrupted their team’s usual rhythm.
“It was an interesting match day for us. This team [Zambia] has scored the most against us, and they play a very difficult style of netball. They pull you into their rhythm and slow down the game just enough for you to lose your speed. But we managed to win all the quarters and are pretty excited for the semis.”
The coach’s remarks come after the Spar Proteas secured their third consecutive victory, solidifying their position as a top contender for the title. Spar Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane admitted that the Zambia game was a big test for them.
“It was one of the most important games because it was the game before the semi-final. This game highlighted areas for improvement, such as our need to be more clinical on attack and reduce our error count. We’ve learned valuable lessons from these past games and we’re ready for the tough competition in the semi-finals.”
The men’s team will now prepare for the final, which will be played on Saturday against Eswatini at 12:00 p.m. Meanwhile, the Spar Proteas will look to continue their winning momentum in the semi-finals. They will take on Zimbabwe in the first semi-final clash on Friday at 12:00 p.m.
Africa Netball Cup Semi-Final and Play-Off Fixtures on Friday, 13 December, 2024
12h00 South Africa vs Zimbabwe14h00 Uganda vs Malawi
16h00 5/6th Position Zambia vs Namibia18h00 7/8th Position Kenya vs Eswatini
Africa Netball Cup Results on Thursday, 12 December, 2024
Pool 2 Eswatini 34 – 85 UgandaPool 1 South Africa 71 – 48 ZambiaPool 1 Malawi 60 – 30 KenyaPool 2 Namibia 42 – 41 Zimbabwe
Africa Netball Cup Results on Wednesday, 11 December, 2024
Pool 1 Zambia 51 – 41 KenyaPool 2 Namibia 43 – 55 Uganda
Africa Netball Cup Results on Tuesday, 10 December, 2024
Pool 2 Zimbabwe 78 – 27 EswatiniPool 1 South Africa 65 – 35 Malawi
Africa Netball Cup Results on Monday, 9 December, 2024
Pool 1 Malawi 52 – 39 ZambiaPool 2 Uganda 49 – 50 ZimbabwePool 1 Kenya 29 – 74 South AfricaPool 2 Namibia 58 – 47 Eswatini
Spar Proteas Starting 7 vs Malawi
GS Rolene StreutkerGA Nicholé BreedtWA Khanyisa Chawane (C)C Refiloe NketsaWD Boitumelo MahlokoGD Karla PretoriusGK Ané Retief
Substitutes
Tarle MatheJeanté StrydomElmeré van der BergJamie van WykIne-Marí Venter
Head Coach: Jenny van DykAssistant Coach: Zanele MdodanaTeam Manager: Vinolia AustinPhysio: Fikile Phasha
2024 Africa Netball Cup Participating Nations
Pool 1
South AfricaMalawiZambiaKenya
Pool 2
NamibiaUgandaZimbabweEswatini
Main Photo Caption: The Spar Proteas have advanced to the 2024 Africa Netball Cup semi-finals following a convincing 71-48 victory over defending champions Zambia, at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund, Namibia, on Thursday, 12 December 2024. All Photos: Ministry of Information and Communication Technology – Republic of Namibia
Photo 2 Caption: South Africa take on Zimbabwe in the first semi-final clash at 12 noon on Friday, 13 December 2024.
