Ahli go down fighting in Gulf clubs volleyball

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain champions Al Ahli went down fighting in a tough, five-set thriller 2-3 (18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 10-15) last night against Police Sports Club of Qatar in their concluding preliminary round match of the 38th Gulf Clubs Volleyball Championship, being held in the Kingdom.

After scoring back-to-back wins to begin the competition against Al Qadisiya of Kuwait and Al Kamil and Al Wafi of Oman, the Bahraini hosts had a more difficult challenge against the tournament’s defending champions, who proved to be too good on the night despite a spirited effort from the home team.

With the result, Bahrain suffered their first defeat while Police SC wrap up the preliminaries with an unbeaten record in three games.

Police SC finish as the top seed heading into the semi-finals, where they will face Al Qadisiya of Kuwait, who were winless in the competition’s first stage.

Ahli takes on Al Kamil and Al Wafi of Oman, who beat Qadisiya in yesterday’s other match, also over five sets, 3-2 (25-21, 15-25, 25-22, 21-25, 16-14).

The final four is set to be held this evening at Isa bin Rashid Volleyball Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa.

The first match will be at 5 pm followed by the second at 7 pm.

Bahrain put on a spirited fight last night against their heavily favoured rivals.

After taking the first two sets, it appeared that Police SC was cruising towards a comfortable victory.

But the Bahrainis had a different idea and spurred by their home crowd, valiantly fought back.

Brazilian professional Luis Fernando Venceslau was in inspired form, and he got plenty of help from the Bahraini contingent of Mohammed Anan, Nasser Anan, Ali Al Sairifi, Ali Habib, Mahmood Abdulhussain, Abbas Al Khabbaz and libero Hussain Sultan.

In the crucial fourth set, the two teams matched each other point for point and it remained tight late on.

After a 20-all deadlock was broken, Police SC was able to move to the brink of the victory with a 24-23 lead.

But a Venceslau spike levelled the proceedings once more.

Ahli then took the next two points, capped by another Venceslau winner, to win the set and force a decisive fifth.

There, Police SC regrouped and managed to pull away for their third straight win.

Ahli now heads into the final four hoping to bounce back from yesterday’s narrow loss and earn a place in the title match.

Ahli earned the right to represent Bahrain in the Gulf championship as the reigning title-holders in the Isa bin Rashid Bahrain First Division Volleyball League.

They are looking to clinch their first Gulf clubs crown, and emulate the success of fellow-Bahraini sides Muharraq, Al Najma, Nasser and Dar Kulaib, who have all already won in the past.

The last edition of the tournament was held in Kuwait in 2020, which was won by Qatar’s Police SC, while Bahrain’s Dar Kulaib finished as silver-medallists and Kuwait Club was third.