Nigeria Fight for Bronze After Tunisia Defeat in Junior Handball Championship
Nigeria’s Under-20 Men’s Handball team will battle for a bronze medal at the 33rd Africa Men’s Junior Handball Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, after suffering a 44–23 defeat to Tunisia in the semi-final on Friday.
The North Africans produced a dominant display from the start, taking control of the contest and establishing a 23–11 lead by half-time.
Nigeria struggled to contain Tunisia’s attacking threat in the opening period, while the Tunisians maintained their intensity after the restart to further widen the gap.
Despite a determined effort from the Coach David Emmanuel-tutored side in the second half, Nigeria could not overturn the deficit as Tunisia eventually secured a convincing 44–23 victory to book their place in the final.
Nigeria will now turn their attention to the third-place match, where they will face Angola with a bronze medal at stake.
The Nigerian team has already achieved a major objective at the championship by securing qualification for the 2027 IHF Men’s U21 Handball World Championship in North Macedonia.
That qualification was confirmed after Nigeria defeated Guinea in the quarter-finals, ensuring the team will compete on the global stage next year.
Results at a Glance
- Semi-final: Tunisia 44–23 Nigeria
- Half-time: Tunisia 23–11 Nigeria
- Nigeria’s next match: Third-place play-off vs Angola
- Major achievement: Qualified for the 2027 IHF Men’s U21 Handball World Championship
- Venue: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
