HANDBALL – BAHRAIN’S under-19 handball national team wrapped up their participation in the 11th IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Cairo, Egypt, last night with a 33-31 victory on penalties over Kosovo.
The game was deadlocked at 29-all at the end of 60 minutes of play, sending it into the seven-metre shootout. There, Sayed Majeed Almuhafda, Mahdi Ali, Mohamed Aadam, and Abbas Ali all converted their efforts, while Bahrain goalkeeper Haider Salman made a crucial save to help them claim the win.
With the result, the nationals ranked 23rd overall in the tournament’s final classification – an improvement from the 2023 edition when they were 29th.
Bahrain got off to a strong start and held an 18-14 advantage heading into the break. But their opponents quickly roared back after the re-start, scoring the first four goals of the latter 30 minutes to tie the score at 18-apiece.
It was a heated battle from there until the final buzzer, with neither side going ahead by more than two goals. Salman Alshowaikh fired in from the right wing in the final minute to give the Bahrainis a 29-28 edge, but Suad Pajaziti scored from the penalty stripe to level the proceedings once more and send the match into the shootout.
Alshowaikh had his opening attempt for Bahrain saved, but Salman had his own save against Kosovo’s Edonis Hajra. Almuhafda and Mahdi Ali were then both on target, and then Salman gave the nationals some breathing room after stopping Drijon Istrefi. Aadam followed that up with his penalty and then Abbas Ali put the game out of reach and pegged the final score for the winning conclusion to their campaign.
Abbas Ali and Mahmood Yusuf finished as Bahrain’s joint-top scorers with six goals apiece, while Alshowaikh and Mahdi Ali contributed five goals each. Aadam scored three, while Almuhafda, Ali Aryash, and Fadhel Ebrahim scored two apiece.
Pajaziti top scored for Kosovo with eight goals, while Amar Muqolli finished with seven in the narrow loss.
Bahrain competed in the youth worlds for the sixth time in its history.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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