Angola beat Nigeria in African Handball Championship
Nigeria's attempt to maintain their impressive streak at the 2026 African Men's Handball Championship faced a challenge on Sunday as they were narrowly defeated by Angola in their first match of the main round.
The Golden Arrows, who had dominated Group A with decisive wins over Algeria, Zambia, and the host nation Rwanda, lost 24–27 at the Kigali BK Arena yesterday, putting their aspirations for a semi-final spot and early qualification for the 2027 IHF Men's World Championship in jeopardy.
The match commenced with Nigeria finding it difficult to contain a resolute Angolan team. By half-time, the Arrows were trailing 11–14 after allowing a series of well-executed goals.
Despite their determined efforts in the second half, which included converting five out of seven seven-metre throws, Nigeria was unable to reverse Angola's advantage, as the Angolans were flawless from the penalty line, successfully converting all six attempts.
Nigeria's campaign had started strongly. In Group A, they surprised the seven-time champions Algeria with a score of 25–23 after seizing the lead in the 14th minute, thanks to a 4–0 scoring streak.
This was succeeded by comprehensive wins against Zambia (36–18) and the hosts Rwanda (30–20), allowing them to finish at the top of the group and establishing them as formidable contenders for the semi-finals.
A victory against Angola would have solidified their position and ensured qualification for the 2027 IHF Men's World Championship.
During the match, Nigeria received two yellow cards and one red card, while Angola maintained their discipline throughout. Both teams utilized timeouts strategically, with Nigeria calling theirs at 13:08 and 48:37, while Angola opted for theirs at 19:18, 52:29, and 58:19.
Angola's win underscored the competitive nature of the main round, which commenced on Sunday and will conclude on Tuesday.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, thereby securing automatic qualification for the 2027 IHF Men's World Championship in Germany.
Even the team that finishes in fifth place, as determined by placement matches, will secure a position in the global tournament, thereby keeping Nigeria’s aspirations for the World Championship alive despite their recent loss.
Looking forward, Nigeria is set to compete against the defending champions, Egypt, in their final main round match scheduled for Tuesday.
This match will be pivotal in assessing whether the Golden Arrows can sustain their momentum and achieve a semi-final berth in the inaugural African Men’s Handball Championship taking place in East Africa.
Nigeria’s highest achievement in this tournament occurred in 1998, when they finished in fourth place and subsequently represented Africa at the 1999 IHF Men’s World Championship, where they concluded the event in 23rd place.
