Qatar Progresses to Main Round at Beach Handball World Championship

Men’s Beach Handball World Championship

A thrilling victory over Uruguay secured Qatar's place in the main round of the Men’s Beach Handball World Championship, currently held at the Pingtan International Beach Sports Base on Pingtan Island, China.

Qatar finished third in Group D, trailing behind leaders Germany and the United States, with a record of one win and two losses. Meanwhile, Uruguay was relegated to the consolation round, joining Australia, hosts China, and Puerto Rico.

Qatar's sole win in the opening round occurred in their second Pool D match, where they defeated Uruguay in straight sets with scores of 18-22 and 22-23. Qatar initially took an early lead in the first half, but Uruguay stayed close, posing a significant threat to the Asian champions. Despite their efforts, Uruguay struggled to penetrate Qatar’s defense later in the first half, with Santiago Rodriguez Mayado and Andres Carlos Miranda Rodriguez spearheading their attack. Qatar eventually secured a 1-0 lead with a 22-18 score.

Ali Ahmed Mohamed (10), Mahmoud Hassaballa (12), Amir Nowraddine Denguir (11), and Hani Marwan Kahki (10) were standout performers for Qatar. Continuing to press against the Uruguayan defense, Qatar clinched the win with a narrow 23-22 margin in the second half. However, in their final Group D match, Qatar faced a formidable German team and lost 0-2 (20-27, 16-26). Despite Denguir’s top-scoring performance with 12 goals and Mohamed Ahmed Hassan's contribution of eight, Germany secured their third win of the tournament.

Now placed in Group II for the second round, Qatar will compete against unbeaten Germany, Croatia, Portugal, the United States, and Argentina. Today, Qatar is set to face Croatia in their first Group II match at the same venue.

 

Source: The Peninsula Qatar