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Nigeria Avenge Angola Defeat to Secure Junior Handball Bronze

Posted : 13 September 2026

Nigeria’s Under-20 men’s handball team ended their campaign at the 33rd Africa Men’s Junior Handball Championship on a high, defeating Angola 24–19 to claim the bronze medal in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Saturday.

The victory provided a measure of revenge for the Nigerian youngsters, who had suffered a 25–20 defeat to Angola during the group phase of the championship.

Coach David Emmanuel’s side produced a markedly improved performance in the decisive third-place encounter, establishing control early and taking a commanding 13–6 lead into the interval.

Nigeria maintained its seven-goal advantage for much of the second half, withstanding a late push from Angola before eventually completing a five-goal victory.

The result secured Nigeria third place among the continent’s leading junior handball nations and provided a fitting conclusion to a campaign that delivered two major international qualifications.

Nigeria had already booked its place at the 2027 IHF Men’s U21 Handball World Championship in North Macedonia after overcoming Guinea 28–23 in the quarter-finals.

The team’s performance in Abidjan also earned Nigeria qualification for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase, having finished above all other participating countries from the IHF Trophy Africa Phase.

The bronze-medal success therefore capped a campaign in which the Nigerian youngsters demonstrated their ability to recover from setbacks and compete successfully against some of Africa’s strongest junior teams.

The group-stage loss to Angola had initially left Nigeria second behind the Southern African side, but the young Nigerians responded when the stakes were highest, producing their most convincing performance against their familiar opponents in the battle for third place.

For Emmanuel and his players, the Abidjan campaign now provides a valuable foundation as they turn their attention to the 2027 World Championship and the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase.

The bronze medal may not have been the ultimate prize, but Nigeria leaves Côte d’Ivoire with continental recognition, two international qualification tickets and a generation of players gaining valuable experience at the highest junior level.

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