HANDBALL – Bahrain overcame a strong challenge from Iraq to triumph 25-20 in their second main round Group Two game of the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship at the Khalifa Sports City Hall last night to take the top spot in the four-team table.
The hosts now have three points from this win and a draw in their first game against Kuwait on Thursday. Kuwait, who battled to a 27-27 draw with South Korea in their second game last night after Bahrain held them to a 28-28 draw in their opening game on Thursday, are in second place with two points.
Meanwhile, South Korea, who have also featured in two consecutive drawn games with yesterday’s heart-stopping tie coming after their 22-22 draw on Thursday, also have two points but are in third place because of goal difference while Iraq are at the bottom of the table with a solitary point from Thursday’s draw.
Bahrain broke away from Iraq in a see-saw first half, which saw both sides locked in an endless battle for the lead with the scoreboard reading 7-7 after the first 20 minutes of play, to take a 13-10 lead at half-time.
After the 15-minute mark in the 30-minute second half, the hosts led 18-14 with a house-full audience cheering their every move on.
But, nine minutes later, Iraq had reduced the lead to just two, at 20-18, with the crowd becoming muted as the visitors celebrated their sudden resurgence.
But the drums started beating again and a group of ardent home fans serenaded their compatriots with songs blaring from portable loudspeakers as Mohamed Habib pushed Bahrain one more goal in front in the 25th minute before Mohamed Naser scored twice to push his side’s lead up to five, at 23-18, with a mere three minutes left to play.
Iraq retaliated immediately through Wael Hafedh but, with two-and-a-half minutes left till the final buzzer, Bahrain still led by four goals and that became five, again, when Naser notched up his hat-trick.
When the final minute of the game began, Bahrain led 24-19 and, although Hafedh managed to score another goal for the visitors, there were only 30 seconds left and the crowd cheered and applauded as Almagabi Ahmed managed to get one last goal for the home team before the buzzer went off.
Earlier, in the first Group Two game, Kuwait and South Korea held each other to a 27-27 draw resulting in the first three games of the group all ending in draws – which is probably a first in international handball competitions.
Bahrain will now face nine-time champions South Korea in their final main round Group Two match tomorrow and Kuwait will take on Iraq with the winners of both games going on to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, defending champions Qatar defeated Iran, 27-23, to secure their second consecutive win in Group One while Japan also notched up their second win in a row by having the better of the UAE 29-26.
Qatar and Japan will now play each other in their final Group One game tomorrow with the winner topping the table and taking on the second-placed side in Group Two in Tuesday’s semi-final.
And, in Group Three, Saudi Arabia sealed their second consecutive win by beating Chinese Taipei, 33-28, at the Bahrain Handball Federation Hall while Hong Kong defeated New Zealand, 36-25, at the same venue.
In Group Four, China overcame Kazakhstan, 43-24, at the Bahrain Handball Federation Hall while Oman beat India, 47-27, at the same venue.
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