Nigeria’s Under 18 Women’s Handball team suffered a heavy 33-14 defeat against Austria in the President’s Cup at the IHF Women’s Under 18 World Championship in Chuzhou, China, on Tuesday.
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The Nigerian team, led by Coach Shittu Adewunmi Agboola, struggled throughout the match, failing to capitalize on their opportunities and trailing behind Austria from start to finish.
The first half saw Nigeria scoring only eight goals from 23 attempts, while Austria took a commanding lead with 17 goals. Nigeria’s inability to convert chances, coupled with frequent turnovers, allowed Austria to dominate, often scoring on fast breaks and exploiting defensive lapses.
The second half offered little improvement for the Nigerian side, as Austria continued to pile on the pressure.
Nigeria managed to score just six more goals, bringing their total to 14, while Austria extended their lead, finishing the match with 33 goals. The Nigerian team’s shooting efficiency was particularly concerning, with only 30% of their 47 shots finding the back of the net.
This defeat places Nigeria in a challenging position as they prepare for their next placement match against Chinese Taipei, scheduled for Thursday at 2 a.m. WAT.
Coach Agboola will need to address the team’s defensive vulnerabilities and shooting inefficiencies if they hope to secure a better result in their upcoming fixture.
