By GPC Sports Reporter
Kenya Net Kings kept their hopes of finishing on the Africa Netball Cup podium alive after powering past Malawi 44-31 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Thursday.
The victory booked Kenya a bronze-medal showdown with Uganda on Friday, setting up another East African rivalry as the hosts seek to finish the 2026 championship with a medal.
Also Read
Coached by Peter Oloo, the Net Kings survived a competitive opening half before pulling away decisively after the break.
Kenya led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter and 20-17 at half-time, but a dominant third quarter put the contest beyond Malawi’s reach.
The hosts scored 12 goals in the third quarter while restricting Malawi to four to establish a 32-21 lead heading into the final period.
Goal shooter Christovin Juma was central to Kenya’s attacking display, repeatedly finding the target under pressure, while goal attack Mbithi supplied crucial goals throughout the match.
Kenya continued to apply pressure in the final quarter, stretching their lead to 39-27 with just over five minutes remaining. Malawi briefly threatened to reduce the deficit, but Kenya’s defence, led by Isaac Langat, held firm.
The hosts were forced to play with six players for two minutes after Langat was shown a yellow card, but the numerical disadvantage did little to unsettle Kenya as they protected their sizeable lead.
Mbithi scored Kenya’s 44th goal before Malawi added a late consolation to leave the hosts 13 goals clear at the final whistle.
Oloo said Kenya had to change their approach after an error-strewn opening half.
“Today’s match against Malawi was a very tough one,” he said. “We thought it was going to be easy, but the Malawi team really came back strong.”
The coach admitted Kenya’s reliance on long passes contributed to turnovers in the opening two quarters.
“We had long balls, we gave a lot of mispasses and we had a lot of turnovers, but we did not convert them,” Oloo added.
Kenya responded by switching to shorter passes and tightening their defensive structure after the interval.
“In the third and fourth quarters we changed the strategy. Instead of the long balls, we were playing short balls, and then our defence was also good, both in the midcourt and at the defensive circle,” said Oloo.
Langat, who played a key role in Kenya’s defensive effort, said the team had worked extensively on containing Malawi’s attack.
“We have been working on our defence,” he said. “They were strong, so we tried to use our hands.”
The victory sets up a rematch with Uganda, with the Net Kings looking to secure bronze after losing to Eswatini in last year’s third-place play-off in Malawi.
Oloo said Kenya had already analysed their previous meetings with Uganda as they prepare for Friday’s encounter.
“Uganda game is a tricky one but we know how we are going to tackle it,” he said. “We have managed to analyse our videos, starting from the past matches and even the most recent one that we had in this championship.”
Meanwhile, Kenya’s women’s team, the Divas, face Namibia in a crucial World Cup qualification playoff after their historic victory over Zambia on Wednesday.
Ranked 21st in the world, Kenya stunned world number 17 Zambia to finish third in Pool Two and advance to the qualification playoff against Namibia, ranked 14th globally.
The women’s competition took an unexpected turn on Thursday when Africa Netball cancelled the scheduled semi-finals. Under the revised fixture, Uganda and South Africa will proceed directly to the final, while Kenya will face Namibia and Malawi will meet Zimbabwe in World Cup qualification playoffs on Friday.
For the Divas, victory over Namibia would secure a place at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Goal attack Doreen Akinyi described the win over Zambia as a landmark moment for the team.
“It was history,” Akinyi said on Thursday. “I felt really excited, really happy, really proud because we have never beaten Zambia before.”
Akinyi credited Kenya’s defensive adjustment for the upset, saying the team studied Zambia’s approach and changed tactics to prevent their opponents from advancing the ball.
Ready for Challenge
The Divas now face another stern test against a fast Namibia side, but Akinyi said the players were ready for the challenge.
“Tomorrow’s game is going to be difficult. It’s going to be tough, but we will be there. We will deliver our all,” she said.
She added that Kenya planned to employ zone defence to counter Namibia’s speed.
The match carries particular significance for the Divas, who have never won an Africa Cup medal, with fifth place their previous best finish.
“It’s really big because it’s our only obstacle to the Netball World Cup next year,” said Akinyi. “So we have to give it our all, we have to do everything so that we can win that match.”
The Divas will also have the backing of a home crowd at Kasarani, although Akinyi acknowledged the pressure that comes with playing before Kenyan supporters.
“There’s so much pressure,” she said. “Composure, composure above all things.”
She said the players rely on one another to recover from mistakes and maintain their focus during difficult moments.
With the Net Kings facing Uganda for bronze and the Divas taking on Namibia for a World Cup ticket, Friday will be a decisive day for Kenya’s campaign at the Africa Netball Cup.
