Wa Ganyu
With two seconds remaining to end the match, people were walking out of the OVO Hydro, Glasgow. Boom! A Takondwa Lwazi magic—winning the ball from their backyard, she saw Mwai Kumwenda alone in the goal post.
Any moment the umpire was to blow the final whistle. Lwazi executed a long drive to find Mwai, she taps it and quickly converts to give the fans a last dance.
“Wow! What a magic delivery from Lwazi again! Mwai again, see how Malawi has finished the game, beautiful,” reacted the commentator.
Asked what she had just delivered, Lwazi said: “We watched Northern Ireland, and we played to break their system. That was the strategy, to break their box and cut in the middle.”
But that was not her first; she had the similar way of executing the ball directly to the final third. She passed four to Mwai which were converted and one to Ethel Ng’ambi.
Unlike South Africa’s match, Malawi on Sunday afternoon played to recognise the box. They had 100 balls delivered into their attacking third than Ireland 69.
Out of 64 baskets Malawi scored, Mwai converted 58 with the other scored by Ng’ambi. Malawi had the highest scoring percentage, 98.
How the match progressed:
First Quarter: Malawi 19-9 Northern Ireland
Malawi was on fire, scoring all chances they created and utilized all turnovers which Ireland made, it all worked well for them. The Queens won five turnovers in this quarter and utilized them, beating their opponents clean.
Ireland had difficulties to build from possession, always finding it hard to pass to the goal post.
Second quarter: Malawi 16-14 Northern Ireland
It was almost a balanced quarter, but in the end Malawi took a lead after Ireland made some mistakes. Queens utilized those turnovers. It was a quarter that Malawi for the first time made mistakes, giving the opponent two turnovers which they only utilized one.
Malawi went to half time leading 35-23.
Third Quarter: Malawi 9-15 Northern Ireland
It was a disappointing quarter for Malawi after they made changes at the midfield and the back. They gave away balls cheaply, allowing Ireland to build from transition while utilizing turnovers.
Malawi were first to win a turnover but missed it. They made mistakes, giving Ireland five turnovers which they utilized and kept pushing to close the gap to only six baskets. The quarter ended with Ireland leading.
Fourth Quarter: Malawi 20-10 Northern Ireland
Malawi came back with a changed approach, no pressure on the ball and able to close spaces while creating a number of scoring chances.
They won six turnovers and scored all, giving Ireland one turnover. Malawi were compact at the centre and kept registering interceptions which helped them to regain control of the match till the end.
It was not possible for Ireland to close the 6 baskets gap which they made at the end of third quarter. Fans kept singing “mwana ndi mwana” till the 64-48 victory was confirmed, a consolation from a 64-44 defeat to South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Next for Malawi is England on Monday at 15:00.
