Angola edge Nigeria 27-24 in African Handball Championship thriller

Angola’s men’s handball team stunned Nigeria’s Golden Arrows with a narrow 27-24 win on Sunday at the 2026 African Men’s Handball Championship main round in Kigali, dealing a blow to Nigeria’s semi-final hopes.

Nigeria started strong, topping Group A with wins over Algeria, Zambia and hosts Rwanda, but fell behind 14-11 by half-time against a resilient Angolan side. Despite five of seven successful seven-metre throws in the second half, the Arrows couldn’t overturn Angola’s lead, who were perfect from the penalty spot.

“The team gave everything,” said Nigeria coach after the loss, lamenting missed chances. Angola captain praised his side’s discipline and clinical finishing. With the defeat, Nigeria must now beat defending champions Egypt to keep semi-final and 2027 World Championship qualification hopes alive.