Nigeria’s Under-18 men’s handball team emerged victorious in the International Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy Africa Men Continental Championship, defeating Guinea 38-26 in the final match held Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Nigerian side, coached by Emeka Nnamani, displayed resilience and skill, securing a 21-14 lead by halftime despite several turnovers. In the second half, they showcased dominant play, with standout performances from Christian Foloki and Azeez Sulaimon, which led to crucial goals and an improved defense that held back the Guinean team.
With this win, Nigeria successfully defended their title, having claimed the championship in Congo Brazzaville in 2022. Sulaimon was named Player of the Match for his outstanding contribution to the game.
In a statement from Cosmos Akisi, media officer of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Nnamani expressed pride in his team’s preparation and praised the HFN for supporting their journey, despite challenges like flight delays.
He stated, “We knew the Guineans from the previous times we played them, and we watched their matches in this competition so we could tactically prepare for them, which we did.
“Thanks to the HFN, they ensured that we made it to this competition despite the flight delay and gave us all the necessary backing to do well,” Nnamani added.
Nigeria has now qualified for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental phase, where they will represent Africa early next year in the Under-18 category at a location yet to be announced.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
