Rwanda’s under-20 men’s handball team reached the quarterfinals of the African Championship after beating Zimbabwe 32-16 on Tuesday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The Sept. 8 victory at the Salle Polyvalente de Treichville secured second place for Rwanda in Group A with four points, behind Guinea, who finished top with six points.
Rwanda needed a win against Zimbabwe after opening the tournament with a 36-20 defeat to Guinea before recovering with a 30-25 victory over hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
Coach Hafedh Zouabi’s side took control early against Zimbabwe, leading 18-5 at halftime before extending the advantage in the second half.
The result set up a quarterfinal against Angola, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. Kigali time.
Guinea topped the group after beating Côte d’Ivoire 32-14 in the other final Group A match.
Rwanda is making its third appearance at the African U20 Handball Championship. The team finished eighth when Rwanda hosted the tournament in Kigali in 2022 and improved to sixth place at the 2024 edition in Tunisia.
A victory over Angola would take Rwanda into the semifinals and give the team a chance to improve on its previous finishes at the continental championship.
