Video: 19th NSF: Rivers avoids handball upset in pulsating 25-25 with Imo

Handball

The Package B Handball Open Courts of the Abuja National Stadium came alive on Day 3 of the 19th National Sport Festival as Rivers female handball team
acquired two late goals to draw 25-25 with Imo Grasshoppers.

The Imo handball team started the game well and dictated proceedings in the first half, with Emeribe Melody helping the side to a 12-11 first half lead.

However, the Rivers ladies bounced back in the second half, with Maryam Usman controlling the game while Ada Okey was doing the scoring.

Despite their Enterprise, Team Imo retained a two-goal lead, thanks to Melody and Onyemaechi Ezinne who scored 14 goals between them.

But the Rivers ladies rallied in the dying minutes of the match forcing Imo to concede two goals in two minutes to Okey and Ego Nwabuia.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqCoGAKSL6w]

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the game, captain of the Imo side, Anosike Chidinma, admitted that it was a fair draw against a good side.

“It was a great game by two good sides. Rivers are a great side with so many national handball team members.

“In the end, it was a good game. We need to work on our shooting for the next game because if you don’t score, you can’t win games.

“We also have to work on our defence and stamina,” Chidinma said.

For a team which boasts of many national team players, the Rivers ladies put up a subdued performance and were lucky to record a draw.

This much was admitted by one of their top players, Maryam Usman, who pointed out that they were a bit leggy.

“The match ended in a draw but we are coming back stronger in the next game.

“This is our first match and we were a bit leggy. We need to get better and work on our defence. By our standard, we were very poor today,” Maryam told NAN.

In the men’s game decided earlier, Team Delta defeated Niger State 24-20.

Niger ended the first half leading 9-8, with Shehu Aliyu rampaging the Delta defence.

Delta however overturned the deficit, thanks to Jacob Ayuba and Don Emenike’s combined efforts.

Niger will have to do better in terms of goal scoring in the next match, as only Anas Mohammed was able to manage three goals to Aliyu’s 10. (NAN)