Nigeria to meet Great Britain in 5th placement match after beating Azerbaijan at the IHF Emerging Nations Championship in Bulgaria on Thursday
Nigeria’s win over Azerbaijan came after losing to the hosts, Bulgaria, earlier in the week.
After scoring six goals in the first half, including three on quick breaks, the Nigerian handball team, captained by rising handball star, Faruk Yusuf, was unstoppable.
The team led by coach Solomon Yola took control of the game and won the opening frame 18-7.
The team’s captain, Obinna Anih, inspired his colleagues to score goals from nine meters away, goals on quick breaks, and strong defence to earn a 35-17 victory over Azerbaijan which was enough to qualify Nigeria for the next round of the tournament.
With a 19-goal haul, Yusuf moved up to second place in the goalscorers’ chart for the group stage, two goals behind Andorra’s top scorer Unai Ruiz. However, Obinna Anih was chosen as the game’s MVP because of his outstanding leadership in Thursday’s game.
Nigeria’s win over Azerbaijan is their second-largest victory in 12 games, trailing only their 40-13 triumph over Malta in 2019.
The win helps the Nigeria U-24 male handball team to finish second in Group D behind the host nation Bulgaria. They will face Britain in the next round of the tournament on Saturday.