Nigeria’s Senior Men Handball Team, the Golden Arrows, produced a dominant all-round display to overpower Zambia 36–18 in their second Group A match of the 25th Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup in Kigali, Rwanda, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The Golden Arrows asserted their authority early in the encounter, combining solid defence with sharp attacking play to open a 17–10 lead at halftime.
The Coach Rafiu Salami’s tutored team, raised the tempo after the restart, completely outclassing their Zambian opponents with swift ball movement, effective shooting from the backcourt and disciplined defensive organisation.
Nigeria was outstanding throughout the contest, with Right Winger Azeez Sulaiman delivering a master class performance.
The France based player was Nigeria’s top scorer with eight goals, dictating play and leading the offensive charge and his impressive outing earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Sulaiman was well supported by Faruk Yusuf and John Shagari, who both contributed five goals apiece, while Rotibi Victor added four goals from the backcourt.
Hakeem Salami chipped in four goals, Mustapha Mohammed scored three, and Kareem Ajibike also registered three goals.
Further goals came from Dikko Ibrahim, who scored two, while Captain Stephen Sessugh and Cole Gbenga added one goal each, completing a balanced team performance that underlined Nigeria’s attacking depth.
Defensively, the Golden Arrows were equally impressive, restricting Zambia to just eight goals in the second half, as Nigeria maintained compact lines and forced turnovers that translated into quick counter-attacks.
With two convincing victories from their opening matches against Algeria and Zambia, Nigeria have now secured qualification for the quarter-finals, strengthening their credentials as one of the tournament’s most competitive sides.
The Golden Arrows will conclude their Group A campaign against host nation Rwanda on Saturday, as they look to maintain their perfect run and build momentum heading into the knockout stage with the aim of qualifying for the 2027 World Championship in Germany.
