Both sides had a nervous start and it was all-evens at 11-11 after the first quarter in what looked set to be a close match.
The ninth edition of the Nations Cup has gotten underway at the OCBC Arena in Singapore with Samoa taking on and defeating Malaysia.
Both sides had a nervous start and it was all-evens at 11-11 after the first quarter in what looked set to be a close match.
Samoa picked up the pace and took control in the second period and pulled ahead for a 32-17 advantage, thanks in part to their goal shooter Monica Fuimaono who, with her 192cm height and dominating stature, caused the Malaysian defence a fair few problems and will no doubt challenge others this week too.
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They didn’t have it their own way after the break. Malaysia slowed down the pace and looked much more confident working together and limiting their own mistakes. Samoa rotated some of their players too, resting Fuimaono, which allowed Malaysia to be more competitive in defence.
The final quarter was quite scrappy from both teams and they seemed to lose their rhythm and errors crept in. The game was already won but
Malaysia did keep fighting and will look to now regroup before facing a spirited Ireland tomorrow. The match ended 56-30.
“We arrived on Thursday so it’s been a bit of a wait to play some netball but it was worth it,” said Samoa coach, Marcia Hardcastle.
“We are in the off season back home so it will be good to see how we cope with six games in seven days here.
“It’s great to get so many playing styles here: Botswana with their aerial balls, Malaysia and their short, sharp play and Singapore, now with a New
Zealand coach will have more structure to their play.
“We have brought quite a few young players with us ahead of the World Cup next year so it’s a great chance to give them good exposure before that.”
For Malaysia’s Assistant Coach, Huslina Mohd Hussin, the game against Samoa was a good experience. “It is a new team for us as we prepare for the SEA Games,” she said.
“We didn’t expect to lose by so much though. We just didn’t have a good combination between the older and younger players. Tomorrow we will try to win, maybe with a few position changes and a change of strategy.”
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