Nigeria U-18 Men Begin IHF Trophy Africa Zone 3 Campaign with Emphatic Win Over Burkina Faso
Nigeria’s U-18 men’s handball team got their campaign at the IHF Trophy Africa Zone 3 off to a flying start with a commanding 48–22 victory over Burkina Faso in Lomé.
The Coach Abdukakim Yakubu tutored team showed class and dominance from the first blast of the whistle, controlling proceedings with sharp attacking play and solid defending to overwhelm their opponents in the opening match.
Nigeria set the tone early, racing to a comfortable 26–12 lead at half time, leaving Burkina Faso struggling to cope with their pace and intensity. The second half followed a similar pattern as the Nigerian side maintained their momentum, extending the gap and sealing an emphatic 26-goal victory.
Standout performer Aliyu Rufai was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after an impressive display, leading the charge with his all-round contributions and helping to drive Nigeria’s attacking dominance.
Meanwhile, attention will also shift to Nigeria’s U-20 team, led by Coach David Emmanuel, who are scheduled to play their opening match against Benin on Wednesday.
The victory puts Nigeria in a strong position in their Group as they look to build on the winning start and push for qualification to the next stage of the competition organised by the International Handball Federation.
