….Malawi 44-65 South Africa…
By Edwin Mbewe
GLASGOW-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s dream start to the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games turned into a nightmare on Saturday night as the Queens suffered a crushing 65-44 defeat to bitter rivals South Africa in their opening Pool A encounter.
The Star Proteas, Africa’s top-ranked side, stamped their authority on the match from the opening whistle, punishing every mistake by the Queens with ruthless precision.
The team’s clinical shooting, disciplined defence and swift ball movement left Malawi chasing the game throughout the contest.
Although the Queens fought bravely in spells, they struggled to match South Africa’s intensity and composure.
By halftime, the Proteas had opened an 11-goal cushion at 34-23 before cruising to a comprehensive 65-44 victory to launch their Commonwealth Games campaign in style.
The match was expected to mark a new chapter for Malawi with the highly anticipated return of veteran goal shooter Mwai Kumwenda, who made her first Commonwealth Games appearance in nearly five years.
However, her comeback was overshadowed by a disjointed team performance as the Queens repeatedly surrendered possession through poor passing and costly unforced errors.
There were, however, encouraging signs for the future. New Zealand High Performance Consultant Debbie Fuller handed Commonwealth Games debuts to Melia Soko, Aisha Gama and Ethel Ng’ambi.
Despite being thrown into one of the toughest fixtures of the tournament against Africa’s number one side, the trio displayed glimpses of promise and showed they can become key figures for the national team.
Once regarded as one of the giants of African netball during the golden era of legends Mary Waya and Peace Chawinga, the Queens are still searching for the consistency that once made them a feared force on the international stage.
Ranked ninth in the world, Malawi has continued to slip down the rankings as the gap between themselves and the continent’s leading nation grows wider.
Captain Takondwa Lwazi led the Queens from the centre court, with Kumwenda partnering Ethel Ng’ambi in the shooting circle.
Melia Soko started in wing attack, while Aisha Gama, Shabel Bengo and Martha Dambo completed the starting seven in wing defence, goal defence and goalkeeper respectively. Stella Matelezi, Mphatso Banda, Tendai Masamba and Sophie Banda began the match on the bench.
South Africa, meanwhile, showed why they remain Africa’s dominant force by retaining the core of the team that lifted the 2025 Africa Netball Cup in Lilongwe.
Kamogelo Maseko and Ermere van der Berg led the attack with deadly efficiency, while captain Khanyisa Chawane orchestrated play from wing attack.
Refiloe Nketsa controlled the centre, with Jamie Golob, Karla Pretorius and Nicola Smith forming an impressive defensive wall that frustrated the Queens throughout the match.
Saturday’s result extended Malawi’s winless streak against the Star Proteas to four consecutive matches.
The Queens have now lost 58-38 in the 2025 Africa Netball Cup in Lilongwe, 58-55 at the 2025 Nations Cup in London, 65-35 at the 2024 Africa Netball Cup in Swakopmund and now 65-44 in Glasgow.
The statistics paint an equally sobering picture. In 45 meetings between the two nations, South Africa has claimed 32 victories compared to Malawi’s 12, with one match ending in a draw.
It was also the fifth Commonwealth Games meeting between the two rivals, with the Proteas continuing their dominance that stretches back to their first Commonwealth clash in 1998.
With England, Australia, Northern Ireland and Tonga also in the fiercely competitive Pool A, the Queens have little time to dwell on the defeat.
The team’s focus now shifts to Northern Ireland in a must-win encounter as they seek to revive their hopes of progressing beyond the group stage and prove they still belong among the world’s elite.
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