Ahli complete Asian clubs volleyball roster

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com     

Bahrain’s Al Ahli Club have completed their line-up for the fast-approaching 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship with the signing of two of the Kingdom’s top national team stars.

Joining Ahli from national league-and-cup champions Dar Kulaib are Mohammed Yaqoob and libero Hussain Sultan, both key members of Bahrain’s senior men’s national volleyball team.

They strengthen Ahli’s Bahraini core for the prestigious competition, which is set to be hosted by the Kingdom from Sunday next week. Yaqoob and Sultan join three foreign professional players bolstering the Ahli roster, namely Gabriel Jose da Silva Candido from Brazil, Yosvany Hernandez from Cuba and Davide Saitta from Italy.

Ahli already have a formidable line-up of local talent, spearheaded by Naser Anan, Mohammed Anan, Abbas Al Khabbaz, Ali Alsairafi, Sayed Mohammed Alabbar and Mahmood Abdulhussain.

The Asian clubs championship is set to be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority president and Bahrain Olympic Committee chief His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

It is being organised by the Bahrain Volleyball Association in cooperation with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC).

Daily practices Ahli have begun their daily practices at the tournament venue at the BVA Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa.

Guiding them in the championship is Tunisian head coach Nezar Al Shakili, who was also in charge of Bahrain’s national team in the past.

They begin their tournament campaign against Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi from Indonesia on opening night.

They then take on Korean Air Jumbos Pro-Volleyball Club from South Korea in their second assignment the following evening, before completing their Pool A preliminary round campaign yesterday against Canberra Heat from Australia.

Pool B in the preliminary round features Shahdab Yazd from Iran, South Gas Sports Club from Iraq, Taichung Bank from Chinese-Taipei and Kam Air from Afghanistan.

Pool C comprises Suntory Sunbirds from Japan, Diamond Food Fine Chef-Air Force from Thailand, Bayankhongor Crownd Geo VC from Mongolia and Khaypil Sports Club from Yemen.

Pool D features Atyrau VC from Kazakhstan, Police Sports Team from Qatar, Aspiring Volleyball Team from Hong Kong and Kuwait Sporting Club from Kuwait.

The participating teams have already begun arriving in the Kingdom, with Shahdab Yazd the first to reach Bahrain.

Eight matches will be held per day between two arenas at Isa Sports City.

Following the preliminary group stage, a rest day will be held on Wednesday next week, after which action will begin in the play-offs and placement pools.

The top two teams from each preliminary round pool move on to the round of eight play-offs, where they will again be divided into two further pools to determine the semi-finalists.

The head-to-head games from the opening stage will carry over.

The bottom two teams from each preliminary round pool will move on to the consolation bracket for the tournament’s final classification.