Bahrainis narrowly miss out on win

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s under-21 national handball team narrowly missed out on a golden opportunity to claim an all-important victory yesterday in the 24th IHF Men’s Junior World Championship 2023, currently being co-hosted by Greece and Germany.

The nationals led for most of their game against Slovenia, but in the very last second conceded a penalty that forged a 29-all stalemate. Mitja Janc fired in the tying shot as the game clock was about to expire, leaving no time for the Bahrainis to try and go for a winner.

Bahrain goalkeeper Hesham Isa did his best to make the stop, but was unsuccessful. Still, Isa was named the Player of the Match, and he received a prize post-game. The contest was the second for the Bahrainis in Group F of the tournament’s preliminary stage.

They had lost their first game against European powerhouses Sweden, and a win yesterday would have boosted their chances of making it through to the ensuing main round for the first time in the competition’s history.

Bahrain still have a chance of making it through, although slim. They must win their final Group F game against Greenland today and hope that the Slovenians lose to Sweden by a big margin in the other fixture.

Bahrain’s clash today against Greenland is scheduled for a 1.15pm start, Bahrain time, while Sweden and Slovenia go head-to-head at 6pm. In their draw yesterday, the Bahrainis went ahead 3-2 on a Jasim Khamis goal and never trailed the rest of the half, which ended level at 12-all.

The game remained tight beginning the final 30 minutes and another Khamis conversion helped Bahrain go ahead 20-17. The three-goal lead was their largest of the affair and the nationals continued to stay in control heading into the final minutes.

A Mohamed Rabia goal in the last two minutes of the game gave the Bahrainis a 27-25 edge and the nationals only needed to hold on to the advantage, but two goals from Nik Cirovic tied the proceedings once more.

In the final minute, Rabia re-claimed the lead for Bahrain but Janc replied to tie it at 28-apiece, and then Mahmood Alkhunaizi converted a goal from the right back to power the nationals ahead by one, but the Slovenians were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds and Janc made no mistake with his effort over the outstretched arms of Isa, forging the stalemate.

Khamis and Rabia finished as Bahrain’s top scorers with seven goals apiece, while Alkhunaizi added five and Abdulla Ali four. Ali Alasheeri had two goals and Ahmed Kadhem and Yaser Qambar contributed one goal apiece. Janc and Tarik Mlivic were Slovenia’s best scorers with seven goals each, while Cirovic and Jus Rot both had four goals.

The Bahrainis are coached by Essam Abdulla. This year’s junior world is only the third time Bahrain are competing. They previously also took part in the 1995 and 2019 editions, both times finishing 17th overall after not making it through to the main round.