Nigeria’s Senior Men’s Handball team, the Golden Arrows, have sustained their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship after edging Guinea 30–28 at the ongoing 27th Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup in Kigali, Rwanda.
READ ALSO: NPFL: Arumala’s Early Strike Seals South-West Derby Glory for Ikorodu City
The hard-fought victory came in the 5th–8th place classification match, a crucial fixture that forms part of Africa’s qualification pathway for the continent’s fifth and final ticket to the 2027 World Championship in Germany.
Despite being reduced to six men in the first half following the red card shown to Faruk Yusuf, the Golden Arrows displayed remarkable resilience and composure. Nigeria still managed to take a narrow 16–14 lead into the halftime break.
Guinea mounted strong resistance after the restart, but Nigeria maintained their intensity and defensive discipline to hold on for a vital two-goal victory at full time.
Azeez Sulaiman starred for Nigeria, scoring eight goals to earn the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, while John Shagari also contributed eight goals to lead the team’s offensive effort.
The win now sets up a decisive fifth-place playoff clash against Angola, who earlier defeated Morocco 27–20.
The outcome of that encounter will determine Africa’s final representative at the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship.
A victory over Angola would see Nigeria return to the global stage for the first time since their last World Championship appearance in 1999.
With renewed confidence and momentum, the Golden Arrows will now focus on overcoming one final hurdle in their quest for a historic World Cup qualification.
