Nigeria’s men’s handball team, the Golden Arrows, fell short in their opening match of the 26th African Men’s Handball Cup, losing 26-24 to Angola in a thrilling encounter. Despite a strong performance throughout the match, Nigeria succumbed to their opponents’ experience and composure in the closing minutes.
The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams trading goals back and forth. Nigeria matched Angola’s firepower, keeping the score close until the final whistle blew with Angola leading 14-13.
Determined to bounce back, Nigeria entered the second half with renewed energy and took the lead at the 15-minute mark, holding a 21-20 advantage. However, Angola’s experienced goalkeeper proved to be a crucial factor, making several key saves and helping their team level the score at 22-22.
In a tense finale, Angola regained control in the closing minutes, scoring crucial goals and ultimately securing a narrow victory at 26-24.
Nigeria’s head coach, Rafiu Salami, acknowledged the team’s inexperience and hurriedness in the final moments as the key factors in their defeat.
He praised his players for their effort in both defense and attack, but admitted that Angola’s experience ultimately proved decisive.
Despite the setback, Salami remains optimistic about Nigeria’s chances of advancing in the tournament.
He stressed the team’s talent and their determination to bounce back in their next match against Tunisia.
“We still have a chance of making it to the next round,” Salami declared. “It will be tough, but we have a young and talented team that showed their potential today. We will learn from this experience and come back stronger against Tunisia.”
Nigeria’s next match will be against Tunisia on January 19th. A win is crucial for their hopes of progressing to the next round of the competition.
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