Uganda’s She Cranes were comprehensively beaten 56–34 by South Africa in the final of the 2025 Africa Netball Cup, played in Malawi on Sunday evening.
Hoping to avenge a recent defeat to the same opponents, Uganda instead found themselves on the back foot almost immediately.
South Africa burst out of the blocks with pace and precision, racing into a commanding 15–7 lead by the end of the opening quarter.
The intensity and cohesion of the South Africans continued to trouble the She Cranes, who struggled to settle into a rhythm. By halftime,
Uganda were trailing 27–16, undone by frequent turnovers and an inability to cope with the speed of ball movement.
Several tactical changes were introduced after the break, but they failed to shift the momentum. South Africa tightened their grip on the contest, stretching the gap further to 43–26 at the close of the third quarter.
Uganda showed flashes of resistance in the final period, yet the deficit proved too large to overcome. South Africa maintained control from start to finish, eventually sealing a dominant 22-goal victory to claim the continental title.
It was a difficult night for the She Cranes, who were guilty of poor footwork, loose passes and costly errors under pressure.
While the defeat was heavy, it serves as a sobering reminder of the work still required at the highest level, coming shortly after Uganda’s recent success at the Celtic Cup in Scotland.
