HANDBALL – BAHRAIN took one step closer yesterday to advancing to the semi-finals of the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship in Kuwait City.
The kingdom’s senior men’s handball national team battled past defending champions Qatar in a hard-earned 31-27 victory at Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Salim Al Sabah Covered Hall Sports Complex in the Kuwaiti capital.
It was the Bahrainis’ second straight win in Group Two of the tournament’s main round – following an opening triumph against the UAE – and it maintained their undefeated record so far with one game remaining in this stage. It will be against Saudi Arabia tomorrow at 4pm, Bahrain time, and it will determine the final ranking in their division while confirming the two sides that will march through to the final four.
The Saudis outclassed the Emiratis 33-19 in yesterday’s other Group B clash.
The teams that make it through to the semis will all earn a spot in the 30th IHF Men’s Handball World Championship next year. The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) tournament also acts as a continental qualifier for the worlds, with the leading quartet booking their tickets to international handball’s showpiece event.
Group One in the main round features South Korea, Japan, Iraq, and hosts Kuwait. Their concluding game day in this phase is also tomorrow.
In Bahrain’s exciting triumph yesterday, they fell behind 19-20 early in the second half, but they roared back and strung together four unanswered goals, including a pair fired in by skipper Hussain Al Sayyad and two others by Mohammed Habib Nasser and Jassim Khamis. That put them in control for good, and they fought hard to maintain their advantage until the final buzzer.
The Qataris got to within two goals multiple times during that period, but the nationals answered each occasion – the last coming with under four minutes remaining when Ahmad Madadi made it 26-28, but Bahrain responded with crucial back-to-back conversions from Mohammed Habib Ahmed and Al Sayyad.
Earlier in the contest, in the first half, the Bahrainis built an early 7-3 cushion but Qatar got into their groove and drew level. Goals by Frankis Marzo and Al Sayyad then sent them into the locker rooms deadlocked at 12-all.
Al Sayyad finished as Bahrain’s top scorer in the game with 11 goals. He was later named by the AHF as Best Player of the Match, and he was presented with a trophy for his efforts post-game. Ahmed and Qassim Qambar chipped in with six goals apiece, while Nasser added five and Hassan Madan had two. Khamis completed the kingdom’s scorers with a single goal.
Marzo paced Qatar with 11 goals, while Madadi and Eldar Memisevic scored four each.
Following the semi-finals, which are scheduled for Tuesday next week, the gold and bronze medal matches are set for Thursday.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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