Nigeria starts IHF Trophy Africa Men Continental Phase with victory over Zambia
By Tosin Omojola
Nigeria’s under-18 men’s handball team opened their IHF Trophy Africa Men Continental Phase with a decisive 36-21 victory over Zambia on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Coach Emeka Nnamani’s team displayed precision from the start, capitalizing on their wing play to score multiple goals and leading 17-9 by halftime.
The second half saw Zambia show some resilience, testing Nigeria’s defense. However, goalkeeper Samuel Obabori rose to the challenge, making crucial saves while captain Faruk Kareem and his teammates maintained their offensive push, securing a comfortable 36-21 finish.
Obabori’s outstanding performance earned him the title of Most Valuable Player for the match.
Coach Nnamani praised his players for their focus, especially given the challenges they faced arriving in Addis Ababa just hours before the game due to a delayed flight from Nigeria.
“I must commend my players for not letting the unfortunate flight delay affect their performance against a well-rested Zambian team,” Coach Nnamani remarked. “They understood the game plan and executed it exactly as instructed. It was a solid match, and we’re prepared for the next.”
Nigeria will face host Ethiopia in their second match of the competition on Monday at 1 p.m. Nigerian time.
