Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 African Men’s Nations Volleyball Championship ended in a dramatic five-set battle against Morocco in Tunisia.
The Nigerian men’s team pushed Morocco all the way on Sunday but eventually suffered a 3-2 quarter-final defeat after failing to complete their comeback in the deciding set.
Head coach Ryan Masajedi believes the painful loss can still provide valuable lessons for his players as they continue their campaign.
According to the coach, Nigeria already knows the areas where the team needs to improve. The focus now, he said, should be on applying those lessons in future matches.
“To be honest, we already understand what our weaknesses and strengths are. We just need to take the lessons from this game and use them in the future. I think the boys learned a good lesson today,” Masajedi said.
Nigeria made a bright start by claiming the opening set 25-20. Morocco quickly responded, however, winning the second set 25-15 before taking the third 25-21.
Facing elimination, Nigeria refused to give up. The team produced a strong fourth-set performance and narrowly won 26-24 to level the contest and send the match into a fifth-set decider.
Morocco ultimately had the stronger finish. They won the final set 15-12 to secure their place in the semi-finals and end Nigeria’s hopes of making the last four.
Despite the result, Masajedi expressed pride in his players for their determination throughout the contest. He also singled out the substitutes for making an important contribution during the comeback.
“First of all, we did our best, and I’m proud of the boys. In the first set, it looked like we were finished, but we managed to fight our way back into the game, and the bench players also made a big contribution,” he said.
The coach has now called on the squad to put the disappointment behind them, rest and prepare for their next assignment.
“Now, we need to switch our focus, get some good rest and prepare for the next game,” Masajedi added.
Morocco will meet hosts Tunisia in the semi-finals, while Cameroon will face Algeria in the other last-four fixture.
Cameroon reached the semi-finals after overcoming Ghana 3-2, while Algeria secured a similar 3-2 victory over Egypt.
Nigeria will return to action against Rwanda in the classification match on Wednesday, with the team aiming to finish the tournament strongly.
