Nigeria’s Golden Arrows handball team secured a 30–28 victory over Guinea in a nail-biting encounter at the 27th Africa Men’s Handball Championship in Kigali, Rwanda. The win keeps their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship alive. Despite being reduced to six players after Faruk Yusuf’s red card, Nigeria displayed incredible resilience to secure the crucial win.
Match Result: Nigeria 30–28 Guinea in a tense semi-final match.
Red Card Incident: Nigeria played much of the first half with just six players after Faruk Yusuf received a red card.
Key Players: Azeez Sulaiman scored eight goals, earning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. John Shagari also contributed significantly with eight goals.
Upcoming Match: Nigeria now faces Angola in the fifth-place decider, with the winner earning a spot at the 2027 World Championship in Germany.
The match was a testament to the Golden Arrows’ resilience, especially after they were forced to play a man down for a large portion of the match. Despite the challenge, they held onto a 16–14 lead at halftime and fought off Guinea’s attempts to make a comeback. The Golden Arrows now have one final match to determine whether they will return to the IHF Men’s World Championship for the first time since 1999.
After Nigeria’s disappointing earlier losses to Angola (27–24) and Egypt (48–22), the Golden Arrows were fighting to keep their World Championship dream alive. Team captain Sessugh rallied the team after their defeat to Egypt, emphasizing that despite setbacks, they still had a chance to make history.
NOTHING SHORT OF BULLS EYE
The victory over Guinea has revitalized Nigeria’s hopes for World Championship qualification. Sunday’s showdown against Angola will be a decisive match, with the winner securing a place in the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship. Victory would mark a monumental achievement, ending a 26-year absence from the global stage for Nigerian handball.
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