RismadarVoice Reporters
January 26, 2026
Nigeria’s quest to sustain their impressive form at the 2026 African Men’s Handball Championship suffered a setback on Sunday after a narrow 27–24 defeat to Angola in their opening main round match at the Kigali BK Arena.
The Golden Arrows, who dominated Group A with convincing victories over Algeria, Zambia and hosts Rwanda, were unable to overcome a disciplined Angolan side, leaving their hopes of a semi-final spot, early qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship hanging in the balance.
Nigeria endured a difficult start as Angola imposed their rhythm early, capitalising on defensive lapses to take control of the game. By half-time, the Arrows trailed 14–11 after conceding a series of well-executed goals.
The Nigerians showed resilience in the second half, improving their efficiency from the seven-metre line by converting five of seven attempts.
However, Angola proved clinical from the penalty spot, converting all six of their seven-metre throws to maintain their advantage and seal the victory.
The defeat contrasted sharply with Nigeria’s dominant showing in the group stage, where they stunned seven-time champions Algeria 25–23 after a decisive 4–0 scoring run midway through the first half.
The Arrows followed that performance with emphatic wins over Zambia (36–18) and Rwanda (30–20), finishing top of Group A and emerging as strong semi-final contenders.
A win against Angola would have secured Nigeria an early semi-final ticket and guaranteed qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship.
The match against Angola also saw Nigeria pick up two yellow cards and one red card, while their opponents maintained discipline throughout the contest.
Timeouts were tactically used by both sides, with Nigeria stopping play at 13:08 and 48:37, while Angola called theirs at 19:18, 52:29 and 58:19.
Angola’s victory underlined the intensity of the main round, which began on Sunday and will conclude on Tuesday.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals and secure automatic qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship in Germany.
In addition, the fifth-placed team, determined through classification matches, will also earn a World Championship ticket, keeping Nigeria’s global ambitions alive despite the loss.
Nigeria will now face defending champions Egypt in their final main round fixture on Tuesday, a decisive encounter that will determine whether the Golden Arrows can still progress to the semi-finals in the first African Men’s Handball Championship hosted in East Africa.
Nigeria’s best finish at the continental championship came in 1998, when they placed fourth and went on to represent Africa at the 1999 IHF Men’s World Championship, finishing 23rd.
With qualification hopes still intact, the Golden Arrows will be aiming to regroup quickly, challenge Egypt, and keep their World Championship dream alive.
