Nigeria face Mozambique in African Beach Volleyball Championship semifinal
Nigeria will battle Mozambique in the women’s semifinal of the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Championship in Alexandria, Egypt, on Saturday, August 22.
The Nigerian duo of Esther Mbah and Pamela Bawa booked their place in the last four after defeating Egypt’s Dina/Yakki 2-1 (21-17, 15-21, 15-11) in an exciting quarterfinal clash on Friday.
Mbah and Bawa made a strong start, winning the opening set 21-17, but the Egyptian pair responded in the second set, claiming a 21-15 victory to force a decider.
The Zone 3 champions kept their composure when it mattered most, winning the decisive third set 15-11 to secure a semifinal berth.
Nigeria’s Beach Volleyball coach, Kayode Ajilore, praised the pair for their impressive performance and determination to overcome the hosts in a closely fought encounter.
“The girls have proved why they are elite athletes and have improved over the years,” Ajilore said.
He added that Nigeria’s earlier victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 had helped build momentum ahead of their subsequent matches.
“We are not going to underrate Mozambique. We’ll give our best and bring honour to the nation,” he said.
Ajilore also expressed appreciation to Nigeria Volleyball Federation President, Engineer Musa Nimrod, and other board members for their motivation and support throughout the championship.
He further acknowledged the encouragement from the Association of Former Female Athletes in Nigeria (AFFAN), particularly Chinedu Onikeku (OLY), noting that their presence had boosted the players’ morale.
With Mozambique standing between Nigeria and the final, Mbah and Bawa will be aiming to maintain their impressive run as they pursue the continental title and the sole qualification ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
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