Kenya Halt Nigeria’s Quarter-Final Hopes

Posted : 30 August 2026

Nigeria’s young women’s volleyball team will now fight for a top-10 finish at the 2026 CAVB Women’s Africa Nations Championship after defending champions Kenya ended their quarter-final hopes with a 3-0 victory in the Round of 16.

Playing in front of a partisan home crowd, Kenya controlled the decisive encounter and secured a comfortable 25-21, 25-17, 25-15 victory to progress to the last eight of the continental championship.

Nigeria, however, made the hosts work hard for the opening set, staying competitive before Kenya eventually pulled away to win 25-21.

The defending champions raised their intensity in the second set, taking it 25-17 before completing the sweep with a 25-15 victory in the third.

Despite the straight-set defeat, Nigeria head coach Elishama Elam praised his players for their fighting spirit against one of the tournament favourites.

“We gave a good fight. They really played what they deserved. We gave the Kenyans a run for their money. It was not just a pushover match. It was a good fight,” Elam said.

The coach said the encounter provided valuable experience for a Nigerian team undergoing a rebuilding process, adding that the lessons would help the squad close the gap on the continent’s leading teams.

“Being a young team that we are trying to build, by the next time we meet, I think the story will not be like this,” he said.

Elam, however, identified service errors as a major weakness that affected Nigeria’s chances, particularly in the opening set.

“If you look at the first set that we lost to the Kenyans 25-21, there were eight service errors. If we had converted only four of them, you can see that the scoreline would have been different,” he said.

With the championship title now beyond Nigeria’s reach, Elam said the team would immediately turn its attention to the classification matches, where the target is to finish among the top 10.

“We are going to prepare for the classification match now. We hope to finish in the ninth or 10th position, by the special grace of God,” he said.

Elsewhere, Algeria booked its place in the quarter-finals after defeating Senegal 3-0, winning 25-15, 25-17 and 25-16.

Uganda also advanced after overcoming DR Congo 3-0 in a keenly contested encounter, winning 25-16, 27-25 and 25-18.

The remaining Round of 16 fixtures are scheduled for Sunday, with Rwanda facing Burkina Faso, Zambia taking on Ghana and Egypt battling Burundi.

Tunisia and Mali will complete the day’s programme.

For Nigeria, attention will now shift to the classification stage, with Elam hoping the young squad can use the remaining matches to gain experience and finish its campaign on a positive note.

Kenya Halt Nigeria’s Quarter-Final Hopes

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics