In a thrilling match at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, England overcame an initial 17-11 shortfall after the first quarter to triumph 58-54 over South Africa, ensuring their place in the last four. With both teams vying for a semi-finals spot, England rallied to keep their Commonwealth gold aspirations alive. The Vitality Roses will face off against New Zealand in the second semi-final on Saturday, following the Australia-Jamaica match, with the gold and bronze-medal matches scheduled for Sunday.
Captain Francesca Williams praised Halimat Adio, saying, "She was incredible in that second quarter, bringing us the energy we needed to get back in the game." England initially struggled, with South Africa's goal shooter Elmere van der Berg scoring 16 goals from 19 attempts, but the introduction of Halimat Adio and Funmi Fadoju tightened England's defence, shifting the momentum. By half-time, England trailed by just one point, 29-28. They then took the lead in the third quarter, scoring five consecutive goals to move 35-30 ahead, and maintained a 45-41 lead going into the final quarter.
As the clock wound down, England held their nerve, with Olivia Tchine and Lois Pearson keeping their composure to secure the win. This victory comes after Anna Stembridge took over as head coach just four months prior to the Commonwealth Games. Notably, despite netball being part of the Commonwealth Games since 1998, England has never won a medal in the sport when the Games have been held in the UK.
The upcoming matches are scheduled for Saturday, August 1, with the semi-finals, and Sunday, August 2, for the bronze and gold medal matches.