AL Najma will aim to defend their title as they launch their campaign today in the 39th Gulf Cup Handball Championship in Bahrain.
The defending champions will face Kuwait’s Al Salmiya at 7pm today. The game will be held at the Khalifa Sports City hall.
Al Najma are high on confidence after having won the Khalid Bin Hamad Handball Championship for the fourth consecutive season. They have strengthened their ranks with Egyptian national team players Ahmed Al Ahmar and Hassan Kaddah. Al Najma have included a number of international players to make up for the absence of Mahdi Saad and Moahmmed Habib who have been sidelined due to injury.
Coach Sayed Ali Al Falahi will rely havily on the experience of goalkeeper Mohammed Abdul Hussein as well as Mohammed Mirza and Mohammed Radhi, in addition to Bilal Basham and Qassem Qambar.
Besides, the availability of a group of talented players as substitutes will provide coach Al Falahi the opportunity to rotate players.
In the opening match today, Qatar’s Al Arabi take on Omani side Ahli Sidab at 5pm.
In the previous tournament, held in Kuwait, Al Najma defeated Saudi Arabia’s Mudhar 39-24 in the final to clinch the title.
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