Team Mozambique on Thursday in Abuja defeated Team Nigeria 2-0 in the Male category of the first quarterfinal match to secure a ticket for the World Cup in Germany.

The championships began on Sunday at the Jabi Lake and will end on April 28.

The tournament is being hosted by the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) in conjunction with the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB).

Team Mozambique’s Delcio Soares and Aldexino Ninuja defeated Nigeria’s Goodluck Anyasodike and Godwin Shekaru 21-16, 21-15.

Coach of Mozambique Osvako Machava congratulated his players for the victory.

“We have seen Nigeria playing Pool match so we were expecting to meet them in the quarterfinals. They are very good team.

“We started with problem, but we were able to control them. I congratulate my players and my country. I’m happy to secure a ticket for the World Cup.

“Our main objective was to secure a ticket for the world cup,” he said.

On his part, the coach of Nigeria, Francis Imoudo, said he was impressed with the performance of his players even though they lost the match.

“Mozambique are the number one team in Africa and they have played together for nine years.

“My players, this is their first appearance in the tournament and I’m rating them average in their performance.

“I’m a coach, I accept defeat because our opponents had gone to world cup championship.

“I need to work more on my team because we have a championship in Cape Verde and the Africa Game in Morocco,” he said.

In the second quarterfinal of the male category, Morocco beat Angola 21-10, 21-13 to end the game 2-0.

In the third quarter-final, Rwanda beat South Africa 21-18, 21-17 to end the game 2-0.

A total of 21 countries are participating in the 2019 African Nations Beach Volleyball Senior Men and Women Championships.

(NAN)