Nigeria crowned champion of IHF Trophy Africa Men’s Continental Phase

By Tosin Omojola

Nigeria’s Under-18 men’s handball team claimed the IHF Trophy Africa Men’s Continental Phase title on Wednesday with a resounding 38-26 victory over Guinea in the final, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The thrilling finale was attended by top officials from the Ethiopian central government and representatives from the Nigerian embassy, led by Minister Mr. Boco Effiom Mbo. Coach Emeka Nnamani’s team approached the match with clear determination. Despite a few avoidable turnovers, they secured a solid lead, finishing the first half at 21-14.

In the second half, the Nigerian team fully hit their stride, displaying skill and confidence. Christian Foloki, who had recovered from a knock in the semifinal against Cameroon, joined star player Azeez Sulaimon to score crucial goals. The team also tightened their defense against the Guineans, ultimately sealing the win at 38-26 and defending the title they had won two years earlier in Congo Brazzaville.

Azeez Sulaimon Olaitan was named the Most Valuable Player of the match.

Coach Emeka Nnamani credited the team’s thorough preparation and expressed gratitude to the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), led by Mr. Samuel Ocheho, for their unwavering support from the IHF Trophy Africa Zone 3 Phase in Ghana to this continental phase.

“What more can I say? We prepared for this moment, and the boys took it with complete seriousness. We were familiar with the Guineans from previous encounters and studied their matches in this competition to prepare our tactics,” Coach Nnamani said.

“The real MVP is the Handball Federation of Nigeria, represented here by Alhaji Abdukadir Hussaini Mohammed. They supported us from the Zone 3 Phase to this continental stage, ensuring our participation despite a flight delay and providing everything we needed to perform well.”

With this victory, Nigeria has qualified for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental phase, scheduled for early next year in a yet-to-be-announced location, where they will represent Africa in the Under-18 (Youth) category.