Angola Outlast Nigeria To Seal World Championship Spot
By TAYO TAIWO (T. T.) OLUWOLE
NIGERIA’S quest for a place at the 2027 IHF World Championship came to a disappointing end on Saturday after a 25–20 loss to Angola in the 5th–6th classification match of the Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Golden Arrows showed promise early in the encounter at the BK Arena, displaying tactical discipline and defensive solidity. Their composed approach paid off as they took a 12–9 lead into halftime, leaving Angola under pressure and Nigeria within reach of qualification.
The turning point of the match came shortly after the restart when Faruk Yusuf was shown a red card, reducing Nigeria to six players. It marked Yusuf’s second red card of the tournament, following a similar dismissal in the previous game against Guinea.
With the numerical advantage, Angola raised the tempo and physicality of the contest, forcing Nigeria into errors and breaking down their defensive structure. The Golden Arrows struggled to respond as Angola steadily erased the deficit and seized control of the match.
Nigeria managed just eight goals in the second half, while Angola poured in 16 to swing the momentum decisively in their favour. Despite moments of resistance, the Golden Arrows were unable to halt Angola’s surge.
Angola eventually sealed a 25–20 victory, claiming Africa’s final qualification slot for the 2027 IHF World Championship in Germany. For Nigeria, the defeat marked the end of their campaign in Kigali and another missed opportunity on the continental stage.
