Malawi Queens unable to match England’s tempo in heavy defeat

Malawi’s Queens endured a difficult evening in Glasgow as they fell 73–38 to England in their third outing at the Commonwealth Games, a result that underlined the gulf in pace, precision and consistency between the two sides.

England controlled the contest from the opening centre pass, moving the ball with clarity and speed while limiting Malawi’s opportunities in the shooting circle.

The Queens, who had shown resilience earlier in the tournament, struggled to impose themselves and were repeatedly forced into errors by England’s disciplined defensive structure.

The defeat marks Malawi’s second loss of the campaign.

They opened with a 65–44 reverse against South Africa, recovered impressively to beat Northern Ireland 64–48, but were unable to carry that momentum into Monday’s fixture.

Head coach Deborah Fuller kept faith with the same starting seven that delivered the win over Northern Ireland, yet the group found England’s intensity far more demanding.

The Queens were unable to replicate the fluidity and control that had defined their previous performance, with England’s pressure proving decisive across all four quarters.

Attention now shifts to the remaining group matches, where Malawi will look to close the tournament on a stronger note.

They face Australia on Tuesday, followed by Tonga on Thursday, fixtures that will test both their resilience and their capacity to respond after a challenging night in Glasgow.