Semi-final action took centre stage at The OVO Hydro, with New Zealand facing England in the opening match as both teams battled for a place in the Commonwealth Games Final.
New Zealand Book Sixth Commonwealth Games Final
The match began at a frantic pace, with both teams applying defensive pressure and forcing early turnovers. New Zealand settled first, with Kelly Jackson producing several impressive defensive plays at Goal Defence to disrupt England’s attack.
At the opposite end, the Silver Ferns moved the ball efficiently through the court and into Grace Nweke, whose physical presence in the circle consistently drew penalties from the England defence.
England entered the second quarter five goals behind but continued to find it difficult to contain the feed into Nweke. An Imogen Allison deflection finally gave the Roses the turnover they needed, allowing them to reduce the deficit. New Zealand, however, maintained control and took a 29–24 lead into half-time.
The Silver Ferns came out strongly after the break, capitalising on a held ball and a misplaced England pass to extend their advantage to nine goals.
Maddy Gordon and Georgia Heffernan continued to deliver precise feeds into Nweke, while New Zealand’s attack remained clinical under pressure.
The Silver Ferns carried their nine-goal advantage into the final quarter and immediately stamped their authority on the match, with Jackson claiming another crucial interception.
New Zealand eventually secured a 61–54 victory, earning their place in a sixth Commonwealth Games Final.
Grace Nweke was outstanding in the shooting circle, finishing with 52 goals from 57 attempts at 91% accuracy.
Jamaica Make History Against Australia
The second semi-final saw World Netball’s top-ranked Australia take on third-ranked Jamaica in a rematch of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Final.
The contest was tightly fought from the opening whistle, with Jo Weston and Shamera Sterling-Humphrey both making early interceptions as the teams traded goals.
Two outstanding deflections from Sterling-Humphrey disrupted Australia’s shooting opportunities and helped Jamaica establish a 13–10 lead at the first break.
Australia made changes during the second quarter, bringing Garrett and Koenen into the lineup, but Jamaica’s defensive unit continued to apply relentless pressure.
The Sunshine Girls recorded 11 deflections in the opening 30 minutes and carried a narrow two-goal lead into half-time.
The second half continued in a similar fashion, with both attacking units showing composure. A Katie Maloney interception late in the third quarter brought Australia level, before a misplaced pass allowed Jamaica to regain a two-goal advantage.
Australia reshuffled their shooting circle again, while Courtney Bruce and Jo Weston returned to the defensive end as the Diamonds searched for a way back into the contest.
Jamaica continued to hold their nerve, with Latanya Wilson producing another crucial interception to extend the Sunshine Girls’ advantage to four goals with just four minutes remaining.
Australia mounted a late comeback and had a chance to level the scores with a final-second penalty pass or shot, but the attempt fell short.
The result created Commonwealth Games history, with Australia missing out on a Final for the first time.
Jamaica secured their place in the Gold Medal Match and will now face New Zealand, with the Sunshine Girls aiming to go one step further than their silver-medal finish in 2022.
Gold Medal Match Set
The stage is now set for the final day at The OVO Hydro, with the Bronze Medal Match followed by the Gold Medal Match.
New Zealand vs Jamaica will decide who takes home Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow 2026. 🏐🏆
