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2025 IHF Competition: Nigeria's U-18 team zooms into final

Posted : 17 March 2025

The Nigeria U-18 Men's Handball team has reached the final of the 2025 IHF Trophy's Intercontinental Phase following an impressive 43-24 victory over Uzbekistan in Pristina, Kosovo.


After a setback in their second group match against Kosovo, Coach Emeka Nnamani's team stepped up in the semi-final against Uzbekistan, achieving an outstanding 90% efficiency from the first half, which ended in a 24-13 lead.


The second half followed a similar pattern despite a surge from Uzbekistan. Nigeria capitalized on fast breaks and wing play to outscore their opponents and secure a 43-29 victory.


This marks the second time Nigeria will play in the final of this competition since the 2019 edition when they lost to Chinese Taipei. It also ensures they finish on the podium for the third consecutive time.


For Nigeria's U-23 Handball team, the story was different, as they suffered a 30-23 defeat to Bulgaria in the semi-final of the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship in Varna, Bulgaria.


Host country Bulgaria had the advantage, coming into the match with three dominant victories and a strong defense that conceded only 59 goals in the preliminary round. Additionally, they enjoyed the full support of their home fans.


Bulgaria had a dream start, thanks to their excellent defense, which stood firm throughout the first 16 minutes and continuously frustrated Nigeria.


Goalkeeper Nikolay Petrov recorded six saves with a 60% save efficiency in the early stages, while Kristian Vasilev and top scorer Svetlin Dimitrov made a significant impact, making Bulgaria feel right at home.


Nigeria’s key player, Faruk Yusuf, managed only two goals from five attempts and committed three turnovers, with the team struggling at a 31% shooting efficiency, making it difficult to mount a strong attack.


Despite the loss, Nigeria’s performance remains historic, as they became the only African team to reach the semi-finals of the IHF Men’s Emerging Nations Championship. However, Coach Emeka Nnamani’s side will need to fight for victory in the bronze medal match to secure a podium finish.

 

 

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