Nigeria Men’s Volleyball Team edge Algeria to book quarter-final spot
The Nigeria men’s volleyball team secured a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship after defeating Algeria 3-2 in a five-set thriller in Tunisia on Thursday, September 17.
The Zone 3 champions recovered from two set defeats to overcome the North Africans 23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 and finish their group-stage campaign with another important victory.
The result also strengthened Nigeria’s position in the knockout phase as the team continued its campaign at the continental championship.
Nigeria men’s volleyball team survive opening setback
Nigeria started the contest on the front foot and established an early advantage in the opening set.
Algeria, however, fought back and turned the momentum around to claim the set 25-23.
The Nigeria men’s volleyball team responded immediately in the second set, producing a stronger performance to level the contest.
Nigeria controlled the second set and secured a 25-19 victory to make it 1-1.
Algeria regained the advantage in the third set, edging Nigeria 25-21 and leaving the Zone 3 champions needing to win the next two sets to take the match.
The team’s deciding set
Nigeria showed resilience in the fourth set as both teams battled for control.
The Nigerians held their composure and took the set 25-20, sending the match into a deciding fifth set.
The tie-breaker produced another tense battle, but Nigeria maintained its focus when it mattered most.
The team eventually completed the comeback with a 15-12 victory in the fifth set to seal a 3-2 win over Algeria.
The victory follows Nigeria’s impressive opening performance against Chad.
The Zone 3 champions defeated Chad in straight sets before facing Algeria in their final group-stage fixture.
The Nigerian team earn Masajedi praise
Head coach Ryan Masajedi praised his players for their ability to recover after dropping the opening set.
The Japanese coach said the team needed the victory and credited the players for responding positively when Algeria gained the advantage.
“I am impressed with the way the players picked up after losing the first set. The set was in our favor but the Algerians were lucky it went in their favour,” Masajedi said.
2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship: Nigeria seals quarter-final ticket
“The players have once again shown that they can perform under any circumstances and they picked up after the first set and we ended up winning the match”, said the Japanese.
Masajedi also said the result demonstrated that Nigeria’s opening victory over Chad was not a fluke.
“We started the tournament playing Chad and the victory against Algeria has cemented us amongst the favorites at the Nations Championship,” he added.
The team prepare for knockout stage
Despite the important victory, Masajedi warned his players against becoming carried away by the result.
He urged the squad to remain focused and prepare for the next opponent as the competition enters its decisive stage.
The coach also acknowledged the support coming from Nigerians at home throughout the championship.
Masajedi applauded Nigerians for their prayers, encouragement and continued support for the team in Tunisia.
The 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship is being held in Tunis, with Africa’s leading national teams competing for continental honours.
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The tournament also forms part of Africa’s qualification pathway for future international competitions, adding significance to Nigeria’s progress in Tunisia.
Hence, the focus now shifts to the quarter-finals, where the Zone 3 champions will look to build on their hard-fought victory over Algeria and continue their run in the