Golden Arrows Fall Short of World Championship Spot After Narrow Defeat to Angola

Nigeria’s senior men’s handball team, known as the Golden Arrows, has been eliminated from contention for a place at the 2027 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship in Germany after a 25–20 loss to Angola at the Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup in Kigali, Rwanda.

The match looked promising for Nigeria early on as they took a 12–9 lead at halftime thanks to a strong first‑half effort. However, their momentum stalled in the second half, and Angola secured the win and the final African qualification spot for the world championship.

Despite spirited performances, including goals from Hakeem Salami and Azeez Sulaiman, Nigeria struggled after a red card reduced them to six players on the court. Angola capitalised on the numerical advantage to pull ahead and clinch the victory, ending Nigeria’s campaign in the tournament and their hopes of reaching the global stage in 2027.

The Golden Arrows finish their Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup run in sixth place overall, a result that falls short of qualifying for the next World Championship.