Nigeria’s women’s senior volleyball team has secured a spot in the fifth-place match following their impressive victory over Morocco, with a 3-0 scoreline (26-24, 25-21, 29-27), in the best-loser match at the ongoing 2023 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The match took place on Wednesday at the Palais Polyvalent des Sports de Yaoundé.
After suffering a loss against Kenya in the quarterfinal match with a score of 0-3 (14-25, 17-25, 11-25) on Tuesday, Nigeria showcased their resilience in the competition’s group pool A, alongside Cameroon (the host nation), Burundi, Mali, Algeria, and Egypt.
Nigeria’s journey through the group stage included a win against Mali (3-0, with scores of 25-18, 25-14, 25-20), a loss to Cameroon (0-3, with scores of 17-25, 13-25, 18-25), a victory against Burundi (3-0, with scores of 25-17, 25-14, 25-9), and a defeat by Egypt (0-3, with scores of 14-25, 17-25, 20-25).
In the concluding group stage match, the team faced a closely-fought battle against Algeria and narrowly lost with a score of 2-3 (16-25, 18-25, 25-23, 26-24, 6-15). Despite the setback, they advanced to the quarterfinals, where Kenya emerged victorious with a 0-3 score (14-25, 17-25, 11-25) on Tuesday.
The group stage ended with Nigeria securing three wins and two losses, accumulating seven points. Meanwhile, Morocco, in group stage pool B, achieved three wins and sustained two losses.
The upcoming match will see Nigeria competing against Algeria for the fifth-place position on Thursday, while Morocco will face Uganda for the seventh-place match on the same day.
It is noteworthy that both Algeria and Nigeria were part of the same group stage pool A, where Algeria secured a victory over Nigeria (3-2, with scores of 25-16, 25-18, 23-15, 24-26, 15-6). Thus, their encounter in the fifth-place match holds promise.
Similarly, Morocco and Uganda found themselves in group stage pool B, where Uganda triumphed over Morocco with a score of 3-2 (25-15, 26-28, 17-25, 25-16, 15-11). Consequently, the seventh-place match between Morocco and Uganda holds anticipation.
The current rankings for the participating countries are as follows: Mali in ninth place, Burkina Faso in tenth, Burundi in eleventh, and Lesotho in twelfth.
Reacting to the team’s victory, Samuel Ajayi, Nigeria’s head coach, expressed satisfaction with the pivotal role played by their key players in turning the game in their favour. He emphasised the team’s resilience and determination to secure a win against Morocco, particularly after their previous encounter.
Ajayi affirmed the importance of maintaining composure, focus, and confidence in every match. Looking ahead to their impending clash with Algeria, he expressed optimism about reasserting themselves and achieving victory.
In another match outcome from the best loser category, Algeria emerged triumphant over Uganda with a 3-0 score (25-20, 25-23, 25-16).
Notably, Nigeria is set to face Algeria in the fifth-place match.
The 2023 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championships, which commenced on Wednesday, will conclude on August 29. The tournament features twelve participating teams: Nigeria, Cameroon (the host), Burundi, Mali, Algeria, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, and Egypt.
