Nigeria’s U-23 handball team has qualified for the semifinals of the ongoing Fifth IHF Emerging Nations Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, after a hard-fought 25-22 victory over Moldova on Thursday.
Led by Coach Solomon Yola, the Nigerian team knew they had to win, especially with Azerbaijan already out of contention. Moldova also pushed hard, taking an early lead in the first half. Their goalkeeper, Ion Saharnean, made some key saves, while Vladislav Caraman and Roman Zacaciurin kept the pressure with accurate shots.
However, Nigeria’s Faruk Yusuf shone brightly, scoring six goals and providing four assists in the first half — directly contributing to 10 of Nigeria’s 14 goals. By halftime, Nigeria led 14-12.
The second half saw Moldova fighting to close the gap, staying within two goals at 19-17 with 17 minutes left. Yusuf, Nigeria’s top scorer in the competition with 19 goals so far, returned to the court after a brief rest and made an immediate impact.
He added two more goals, finishing with a total of eight in the match. Goalkeeper Obinna Okwor also played a crucial role, saving three consecutive shots that helped Nigeria pull ahead.
Despite Moldova’s efforts, they couldn’t find the strength to stage a comeback. Nigeria sealed the win at 25-22, securing a historic place in the semifinal — the first time an African team has reached this stage of the tournament.
Speaking after the match, Yusuf said, “I am happy with our performance. It was a tough game, but we stayed focused and worked as a team. We want to make Nigeria proud.”
Coach Yola also praised the team’s effort, saying, “The boys showed great determination. We knew what was at stake, and they gave everything on the court. Now, we focus on the semifinal.”
With Moldova losing two of their three group matches, they will now move to the placement games, while Nigeria looks ahead to making more history in the next round.
