Nigeria’s U-18 Women Handball team delivered a commanding performance at the IHF Trophy’s Zonal Phase in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, crushing Togo 53-21 in their opening match on Sunday.
Under the guidance of Coach John Uzor and his assistant Coach Bukola Duru, the team showcased their speed, precision, and discipline throughout the game.
They dominated from the start, especially on the wings and with fast breaks, while defending resolutely to finish the first half 21-8.
In the second half, Nigeria continued their relentless play, leaving Togo with no chance to recover. Their overwhelming dominance was evident as they sealed the game with a commanding 53-21 victory.
However, despite the stunning performance, none of the Nigerian players were awarded the MVP of the match. Surprisingly, the award went to a Togolese player.
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Coach John Uzor expressed satisfaction with the win, showing that the team’s focus remained on the victory rather than individual accolades.
“I am very excited about the victory. The girls played to our instructions to the letter, which enabled them to score so many goals. Whether their efforts were recognized with the MVP or not is not my worry; the victory is much more important than the MVP award.”
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Looking ahead, Nigeria’s U-18 Women Handball team will face Burkina Faso on Monday. Later in the day, the U-20 Women Handball team will also play their first match of the competition against Togo in the Junior category at 3 p.m.
