Maravi Express
Having won five of its six games at the qualifiers of Netball World Cup Youth Championship (NWYC) in South Africa, Malawi has qualified for the NWYC 2025 finals to be held in Gibraltar from September 19-28, 2025.
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South Africa, who beat Malawi twice, have also qualified for the NWYC Gibraltar 2025 and top the group having won all their games as well as Zambia, who beat Zimbabwe 43:41 in third-place playoff today.
In Malawi’s fourth game of the qualifiers, South Africa were just superior as they went ahead 144 in first quarter; 23-8 in second, 33-12 in third and finally 44-19.
The two teams then played today for rank placing in which if Malawi had won that game with a huge margin, they would have become number one — a feat that was unimaginable as the hosts had goal difference of 277 ahead of the clash against Malawi’s 63.
They won 12-5 in first quarter; 20-14 in second; 32-19 in third and finally 45-26 earning a total of 429 goals scored; 134 against and a goal difference of 295.
Malawi finished with a total of 295 goals scored; conceding 232 and a goal difference of 63.
In their first qualifying game, Malawi beat Namibia 48-23 (9-4; 24-9 and 35-14) that had Stella Matelezi being named Player of the Match.
They saw off Tanzania in their third match (15-8; 31-15; 48-21 and final 64-24 with Shabel Bengo as player of the Match before beating Kenya (9-8; 21-19; 33-29 and 42-38.
Against Zambia, they won 54-35 (14-8; 28-16; 43-23 with Stella Matelezi again winning Player of the Match award.
Then they met their match against Zimbabwe on Friday in which Malawi led 12-8 in first quarter; 23-20 in second 33-32 in third before triumph in 42-41.—Info supplied by Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary, Isaac Chimwala
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