England recovered from a first-quarter deficit to defeat South Africa 58-54 and secure a netball semi-final against New Zealand, with Lois Pearson scoring a perfect 17 goals from 17 shots.
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Key facts
- England beat South Africa 58-54 to reach the netball semi-finals.
- Lois Pearson scored 17 goals from 17 shots.
- England came back from a six-goal deficit at the end of the first quarter.
- England will face New Zealand in the semi-final.
- A defeat would have meant missing the last four for the first time since 1998.
England stormed back from a six-goal deficit at the end of the first quarter to book their place in the netball semi-finals with a 58-54 win over South Africa, according to the Guardian.
Central to the comeback was Lois Pearson, who delivered a flawless shooting display, scoring 17 goals from 17 attempts to help drive England back into contention after a difficult opening period.
The stakes were high for Anna Stembridge’s side, who went into the game knowing that defeat would mean failing to reach the last four of the competition for the first time since the sport was introduced to the Games in 1998, the Guardian reported.
Having weathered the early pressure from South Africa, England recovered to close out the win and keep their tournament ambitions alive.
The win sets up a semi-final against New Zealand as England look to progress further in the competition.
Why it matters
The victory keeps England in contention for a medal, avoiding what would have been their first failure to reach the netball last four since the sport was introduced to the Games in 1998, and sets up a semi-final against New Zealand.
Frequently asked questions
What was the final score of England's match against South Africa?
England won 58-54, according to the Guardian.
How many goals did Lois Pearson score?
Lois Pearson scored 17 goals from 17 shots.
Who will England face in the semi-final?
England will face New Zealand in the netball semi-final.
Timeline
- England beaten by New Zealand in netball semi-final
BBC Sport: England's netballers miss out on a place in the Commonwealth Games gold-medal match after a 61-54 semi-final defeat by a powerful New Zealand side.
- Perfect Pearson fires England into netball semi-final showdown with New Zealand
The Guardian Sport: England 58-54 South Africa Lois Pearson scores 17 goals from 17 shots England stormed back from a six-goal deficit at the end of the first quarter to book their place in the netball semi-finals with a 58-54 win over South Africa. Anna Stembridge’s side went into the game knowing