Nigeria handed Rwanda a second home defeat of the Men’s Senior Handball Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 30–20 win in a Group A encounter at BK Arena.

The opening exchanges were evenly contested, with both teams trading goals early on. Nigeria, however, gradually took control, opening a slim lead before pulling away to finish the first half 14–10 ahead.

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The hosts showed defensive resilience, with team captain Peter Kwisanga making several crucial interventions to prevent further goals. Despite the improved organisation at the back, Rwanda struggled to contain Nigeria’s attacking pace and precision.

The second half proved more challenging for Rwanda, even with strong backing from the home crowd. Nigeria maintained their tempo and composure to seal their third consecutive victory of the group stage.

"The team performed very well, especially in the first half compared to our recent defeat against Algeria. We fought hard, but we missed some fast-break chances and clear scoring opportunities,” Rwanda head coach Hafdh Zouabi said during the post-match press conference.

In Group A, Algeria secured their second win with a dominant 37–21 victory over Zambia, a result that confirmed their qualification for the main round.

In Group B, Egypt recorded their third straight victory with a convincing 54–13 win over Uganda, while Angola comfortably defeated Gabon 25–12.

In Group C, Tunisia cruised past Kenya 39–21, while Cameroon continued their recovery from an opening-game loss with a win over Guinea.

Meanwhile, in Group D, Morocco overcame Congo Brazzaville 39–31, and Cape Verde defeated Benin 32–24.