By Dorcas Francis Koji
Nigeria’s women’s volleyball team produced a stunning comeback at the 2026 African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, recovering from two sets down to defeat the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-2 in their 9th-12th classification match.
The Nigerian side looked destined for defeat after losing the opening two sets 25-20 and 25-22, but the players responded with determination to completely turn the contest around.
Nigeria claimed the third set 25-21 before producing a dominant display in the fourth, winning 25-13 to level the match at 2-2.
With the encounter forced into a decisive fifth set, the Nigerians held their nerve in a tense finish to edge DR Congo 15-13 and complete an impressive 3-2 comeback victory.
The result delighted head coach Elishama Elam, who praised his players for refusing to give up despite falling two sets behind.
“I feel so great, and I’m happy to be a Nigerian. We never say die,” Elam said.
The coach attributed the remarkable turnaround to the team’s determination and fighting spirit, while also giving glory to God for helping Nigeria overcome the difficult start.
“We give God all the glory because, obviously, this is the Nigerian spirit that keeps us going. We thank God because He did it for us,” he added.
Elam, however, warned his players that the job was not yet complete, insisting that they must maintain the same level of commitment in their final classification match.
“We will approach it with the same determination. Since it is going to be our last match, we will ensure that we give the last drop of our sweat on this court. We will give everything we have,” he said.
Nigeria’s victory provides a much-needed confidence boost as the team prepares for its final match of the championship.
After staring at a straight-sets defeat, the Nigerian women demonstrated remarkable resilience to win three consecutive sets and secure a memorable victory a performance that Elam believes embodies the never say die character of Nigerian sport.
Leave a comment