Nigeria’s U-18 men’s handball team secured a second-place finish at the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase after a hard-fought 34-30 defeat against Kosovo in the final, which extended into overtime on Sunday in Pristina, Kosovo.
Under the guidance of coach Emeka Nnamani, the Nigerian team entered the match eager to overturn their earlier group-stage loss to the hosts. Despite displaying determination and scoring crucial goals, they struggled against Kosovo’s solid defense. The opening half was an intense contest, ending in a 13-13 deadlock.
Nigeria showed resilience in the second half, taking control of the game and at one point leading 26-24 with less than three minutes remaining. Christian Foloki and Mustapha Mohammed played key roles, contributing a combined 13 goals. However, a late resurgence from Kosovo, led by Amar Muqolli, saw the hosts score twice in quick succession to level the game, forcing extra time.
In overtime, Kosovo capitalized on home support, outplaying Nigeria to secure a 34-30 victory and claim the IHF Trophy Intercontinental title.
Meanwhile, the United States clinched the bronze medal after edging Uzbekistan 36-34 in a thrilling third-place match.
Nigeria’s Mustapha Mohammed emerged as the competition’s top scorer with an impressive 43 goals, ahead of Kosovo’s Amar Muqolli (30 goals) and Granit Kadiri (29 goals).
This marks the second time Nigeria has fallen short in the final, having previously lost to Chinese Taipei in 2019. They also secured third place in the 2023 edition. A win in this year’s final would have earned them a spot at the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship later this year.
