Handball - 2022 IHF Challenge Trophy: Ivory Coast lose final to Nigeria

They came close. The Eléphanteaux lost the final of the 2022 IHF Challenge Trophy in Abidjan on Saturday 26 November 2022 to Nigeria. In the Cadets category they went down 29 to 24, and in the Juniors they were beaten 29 to 28. Nigeria are therefore champions of the 2022 edition of this continental youth tournament. The Ivorians had reached the finals in both the Cadets and Juniors categories of the 2022 IHF Challenge Trophy the day before. On 25 November they got past the quarter-finals without any trouble. In the Cadets category, Ivory Coast had thrashed Benin 34 to 26. The other match had seen a hard-fought win for Nigeria over Niger, 29 to 26. In the Juniors semi-final, Ivory Coast had beaten Niger 34 to 28. In the other tie, Nigeria had knocked out Burkina Faso 39 to 26. Well placed in both categories of the competition, Ivory Coast were hoping for a double triumph on the evening of 26 November 2022 at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. Sadly, the Ivorian dream was shattered by the Nigerian opposition. This year, at both club and national team level, results have not been impressive. Red Star in the men's competition and Habitat in the women's finished 7th at the African Champions Cup, while the women's national team finished in the same position at the Women's African Handball Championship, held in Dakar, Senegal, and won by Angola against Cameroon.

Sanh Séverin

The results
Quarter-finals
Juniors

Ivory Coast - Burkina Faso: 25-19
Ghana - Niger: 25-34
Nigeria - Togo: 41-22
Benin - Liberia: not played

Cadets
Nigeria - Togo: 47-11
Ivory Coast - Niger: 37-25
Benin - Liberia: not played

Semi-finals
Juniors
Ivory Coast - Niger: 34-28
Burkina Faso - Nigeria: 26-39

Cadets
Benin - Ivory Coast: 26-34
Nigeria - Niger: 29-24

Final
Juniors
Nigeria - Ivory Coast: 29-28

Cadets
Nigeria - Ivory Coast: 29-24