Game-On Reporter
Zimbabwe Gems secured a narrow victory over The Uganda Women’s Netball national team in a tense Africa Netball Cup opening match played on Monday.
The Gems won 50-49 in a match played at MTC Dome in Swakopmund Municipality, Namibia.
Uganda controlled most of the game only to squander their lead in the dying moments of the match to allow Zimbabwe to secure a win.
The She Cranes managed to establish a three-goal lead at the end of the first quarter despite a slow start.
However, Zimbabwe responded strongly in the second quarter, taking a one-goal advantage (25-24) by halftime.
The introduction of Hannisha Muhammed in the third quarter bolstered Uganda’s defence, helping the team regain control and build a seven-goal cushion (39-32) by the end of the period.
Unfortunately, the She Cranes’ technical team made changes in the closing seconds that disrupted their rhythm, allowing Zimbabwe to clinch the victory by a single goal.
Speaking after the match, She Cranes’ head coach reflected on the performance, citing critical errors that cost the team the win.
“We had a poor start, but the girls fought back to take the lead in the third quarter before faltering late in the game,” he said.
“We were forced to make some changes in the last minutes because we received multiple warnings. We will regroup and work on these mistakes moving forward.”
