Perfect Pearson fires England into netball semi-final showdown with New Zealand

England stormed backmost from a six-goal shortage astatine the extremity of the archetypal 4th to publication their spot successful the netball semi-finals with a 58-54 triumph implicit South Africa.

Anna Stembridge’s broadside went into the crippled knowing decision would mean them failing to scope the past 4 of the contention for the archetypal clip since the athletics was introduced to the Games successful 1998.

A thumping 66-47 decision by Australia successful their 2nd Group A crippled had near their qualification hopes hanging by a thread and they started arsenic flimsy underdogs against the South Africans, to whom they mislaid a bruising three-match bid successful January.

England could not incorporate towering South Africa extremity shooter Elmerè van der Berg, who dominated the shooting ellipse successful the opening quarter, with Stembridge’s broadside punished for failing to capitalise connected their turnovers.

The nonaccomplishment of centre Imogen Allison, who hobbled disconnected with an ankle wounded aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter, further threatened their chances, but England rallied with the assistance of 8 from Lois Pearson to propulsion backmost to a single-goal shortage astatine half-time.

The instauration of extremity defence Halimat Adio made the quality successful the 3rd 4th arsenic she shackled Van der Berg superbly portion Pearson’s continued accuracy gave the Roses a 43-39 advantage.

England maintained their vantage passim a muscular 4th fourth and Pearson finished with a cleanable 17 goals from 17 shots to acceptable up a semi-final against New Zealand connected Saturday.

Stembridge said: “We spoke astir not getting excessively galore opportunities similar this, wherever it’s the past crippled of the excavation stages and yet it decides a semi-final position.

“The girls leaned into that unit and they truly trusted 1 another. We did not catastrophise the archetypal quarter. We knew we had much to give, and I’m conscionable delighted that we gave capable to get ourselves into a semi-final.”