Uganda's She Cranes Suffer Narrow Defeat to Zimbabwe in Africa Netball Cup Opener

By: Geoffrey Mugabi

The Uganda women’s netball national team, the She Cranes, fell agonizingly short in their opening game of the 2024 Africa Netball Cup, losing 49-50 to Zimbabwe.

The thrilling encounter took place at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund Municipality, Namibia, on Monday afternoon.

Uganda started slowly, but the team gradually gained momentum, with the girls putting up a fierce fight.

However, Zimbabwe maintained a slender lead, with the scoreline reading 25-24 in favor of Zimbabwe at halftime.

The She Cranes staged a remarkable comeback in the third quarter, with defender Gloria Aya producing a brilliant display. Uganda took the lead, with the score reading 39-32.

Nevertheless, Zimbabwe launched a spirited fightback in the final quarter, scoring 18 points compared to Uganda’s 11, ultimately emerging victorious by a single point.

The defeat means that Nelson Bogere’s side will need to regroup and correct their mistakes in order to bounce back stronger in their next game.

Following the match, She Cranes head coach Nelson Bogere reflected on the loss, saying:

“We had a poor start, but the girls came back and fought in the third quarter before we lost it at the death of the game. We had many warnings and a few mistakes, which cost us, but we are going to work on them and win the next game.”

The She Cranes will face hosts Namibia on Wednesday at 7:00 PM (EAT) in their next match.

It’s worth noting that each match consists of four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes, with two four-minute intervals and an eight-minute halftime recess.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals and eventually the finals.

Team Pools (Women)

Pool 1: South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya

Pool 2: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eswatini