Nigeria’s Green Hawks will turn their attention to Zambia on Tuesday as the country’s first-ever national netball team continues its historic campaign at the Africa Netball Cup and 2027 Netball World Cup African Qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya.
The encounter presents Nigeria with another opportunity to measure its progress after a demanding welcome to international netball against three established African sides.
Nigeria began the competition with a 61–40 defeat to hosts Kenya before facing world number six Uganda, who recorded a 68–30 victory.
The Green Hawks then suffered an 82–22 loss to Malawi on Monday, leaving the Nigerian side still searching for its first victory of the tournament.
Against Malawi, Nigeria trailed 21–6 after the opening quarter before the gap widened to 40–11 at half-time.
Malawi eventually completed the contest with a 60-goal advantage and, in the process, strengthened their World Cup qualification campaign.
For Nigeria, however, the tournament represents more than immediate results.
The Green Hawks are competing internationally for the first time, with the Nairobi tournament providing the players with their first sustained exposure to some of Africa’s leading netball nations.
Nigeria’s next opponents, Zambia, therefore offer another test of how quickly the newly assembled side can adjust to competition at continental level.
With matches against Kenya, Uganda and Malawi now behind them, Tuesday’s encounter provides the Green Hawks with another opportunity to translate the experience gained from those difficult fixtures into an improved performance.
The Africa Netball Cup and World Cup African Qualifiers continue in Nairobi until September 26.
