By: Chinedum Ohanusi
Nigeria’s Under-19 men’s handball team, ended their campaign at the 2025 International Handball Federation (IHF) Inter-Continental Trophy Challenge by placing second, on Sunday in Pristina, Kosovo.
The hard-fighting and determined Nigerian youth team, lost 30-34 to the host nation Kosovo in the final, but that was only after extra time, at the Palace of Youth and Sports, in Pristina.
Kosovo and Nigeria reached the final of the youth tournament, having earlier met at the preliminary phase, when the hosts took a narrow 30-27 win.
This time around, the match was even more balanced, with the lead changing hands four times in the first half, until the two teams enter the break with the scores deadlocked at 13-13.
On resumption of play, Nigeria had a two-goal lead, 21-19, in the 44th minute and a three-goal lead, 25-22, with five minutes to go, as Christian Foloki and Mustapha Mohammed combined for 13 goals.
But Kosovo mounted a spirited comeback, ending the match with a 4-1 run, where Amar Muqolli scored three times, as the youngsters from Nigeria seemed to be gasping for breath.
With that, the Europeans pushed the match into extra-time, where they dominated, by scoring eight times, on their way to a 34-30 victory, which handed them the coveted title.
The United States finished third, with a tight 36-34 win over Uzbekistan, in the bronze medal match.
Nigeria’s Mustapha Mohammed was the top scorer of the competition, with 43 goals, and he was followed by two players from Kosovo, Amar Muqolli (30 goals) and Granit Kadiri (29 goals).
With the 34-30 extra-time win, Kosovo ensured that they will play for the first time at the 2025 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, having punched their ticket by winning the 2025 IHF Men’s Inter-Continental Trophy.
The Coach Emeka Nnamani led Under-19 team, as well as the Nigeria Under-23 men’s team to the 2025 IHF Emerging Nations Championship in Vanar Bulgaria, are due back in the country today, after finishing 4th, and making history as the first African team to reach the semifinals of the tournament, at that level.
After losing to the hosts Bulgaria in the semifinals, on Saturday; Coach Solomon Yola tutored side were up against the USA in the Bronze medal match; but were eventually beaten 31-28 by the Yankees.
Nigeria’s previous best finish at the Under-23 men’s category, was a 7th place finish.
The USA qualified for the final of the Under-19 championship in Kosovo, with a 32-28 win over Rwanda, but the East Africans went on to take a 48-31 win against Bulgaria to seal their last place on the podium.
The three top scorers of the junior category in the 2025 IHF Men’s Inter-Continental Trophy were Rwanda players – Yves Kayijamahe scored 41 goals, Jean Pierre Ndayishimiye had 38 goals, while Samuel Mbesutunguwe had 36 goals.
As the United States of America were already qualified for the 2025 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship via the 2024 North America and the Caribbean Men’s Junior Championship, the next team in line from the continental competition will take their place, with that team being the bronze medallists, Cuba.
Meanwhile, Great Britain defeated host country Bulgaria 29-25 to be crowned champions of the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Under-23 men’s championships.
