By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
GALLANT NIGERIA Golden Arrows on Sunday at the BK Arena in Kigali before a paltry crowd of 100 fans lost to the Angola Men’s team by 24 goals to 27 with half time scores at 11-14 in favor of Angola.
Nigeria tried their utmost best to win the match asking for time out twice in 12:08 and 48:37 minutes but Bello Daniel was red carded after receiving three 2 minutes sendoff; Rotibi Victor and John Shagari received the 2 minutes sendoff twice each. Farouk Yusuf scored 9 goals for Nigeria while Hakeem Salami and Sulaimon Azeez scored 4 goals each.
Cover photo is Dikko Ibrahim in Shirt number 10 for Nigeria.
Jose Chicola of Angola also bagged a red card; Jose Reuben collected the 2 minute sendoff twice and Sebastio Gabriel once which made Angola feared of a possible loss to Nigeria asking for timeout thrice in the 19:18, 52:29 and 59:19 to reformat their match plans Chicola Claudio scored 9 goals; Sebastio Gabriel scored 5 goals and Pestana Adelino scored 4 goals.
Nigeria and Angola had met thrice before. On 17th January 2018 Angola won 28-16 goals; on 16th January 2020 Angola again won 30-24 goals and on 17th January 2024 Angola narrowly piped Nigeria 26-24 goals establishing an Angola supremacy that jinxed Nigeria now not to score more than 24 goals against Angola in their last three meetings including today’s match.
Nigeria had topped group A defeating Algeria 25-23 goals; beat Zambia 36-18 goals and mauled hosts Rwanda 30-20 goals. Angola slammed Uganda 37-21 goals; lost to Egypt 28-41 goals and grabbed Gabon by the jugular in a 33-21 goals victory. All at the Preliminary group stages.
In the other Main group 1 match played today, Algeria lost to Egypt 28- to 42 goals with half time scores at 10-20 goals for Algeria.
Nigeria will test might against Africa’s most decorated team, Egypt in her 2nd Main Group game on 27th January at 3:30pm while Algeria will play Angola in the same group game to know the two advancing teams.
Egypt is the defending champions of the tournament and has won the title for a good 9 times after Tunisia that has won the title a record 10 times.
Eight teams, two each from the bottom of each of the four groups will go and play for the President’s Cup which is less fancied to the main trophy. They will also play verification matches to determine rankings and placing from Africa.
The final rounds of the tournament will feature two semifinals to be played on 29th January. The 3rd place match will preced the finals on the 31st of January.
The tournament that started Wednesday 21st January is expected to draw her curtain on 31st January and this tournament will stand as qualifications for Africa’s representatives at the World Men’s Handball Championship in Germany in 2027.
The next Men’s world Handball cup tournament will take place in Germany from 13th to 31st January 2027 with 32 teams on parade, five from each Confederation.
#AHBF #NSC #HFN #EHF
#AHF #HAF.
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