Al Najma claim cup ‘three-peat’
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Al Najma were last night crowned champions of the 2023 Bahrain Handball Association (BHA) Cup.
Najma won the coveted trophy after defeating Al Dair 34-29 in the tournament final, played at a packed Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.
With the result, Najma claimed the cup for the third successive season while thwarting Dair’s hopes of winning it for only the second time in the competition’s history.
Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) board member and Bahrain Table Tennis Association president Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa was in attendance, along with BHA chief Ali Issa, who is also a BOC board member.
They presented the two finalists their trophies and medals in the presence of other sporting and club officials in an awarding ceremony.
Najma were the aggressors for most of last night’s contest.
They took a narrow 12-9 lead in the opening half following a Qassim Qambar goal, and then goalkeeper Mohammed Abdulhussain also had a conversion after sending the ball into an empty Dair net to make it 17-13.
Back-to-back conversions from skipper Mohammed Mirza and Adel Mohammed helped give Najma a 19-14 lead at the half.
In the final 30-minute period, Dair tried to fight back and got to within 21-23 on a penalty shot.
But a goal from Mohammed Habib and two straight from Qambar put Najma up 26-21.
Dair got to within three goals multiple times late on, but Najma had an answer each time.
Habib and Bashar Bassam powered them ahead 33-27, and then a Mirza strike virtually iced the game with a minute-and-a-half remaining.
Also contributing to Najma’s victory were Mohammed Ali, Hassan Mirza and Ahmed Al Maqabi, while for Dair, their top players in the game were Hassan Samaheeji, Hassan Madan, Mohammed Madan and talented young goalkeeper Hesham Isa.
Najma qualified for the final following a resounding 31- 24 victory over Al Ahli.
They headed into the tie as favourites, having won the previous two editions of the competition. Dair made it through with a 23-21 win over Al Shabab.
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