Bahrain defeat Burundi by default

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s youth national handball team was awarded a 10-0 victory over Burundi yesterday in their first game of the 29th-to-32nd classification bracket at the 10th IHF Men’s Youth Handball World Championship, currently being held in Croatia.

Their opponents withdrew from the competition, resulting in the forfeit. The nationals will now play for 29th place overall today against Mexico, who beat New Zealand 52-23 in yesterday’s other contest in this bracket.

Bahrain have a 19-player squad in the tournament. Coached by Icelandic tactician Maksim Akbachev, the Kingdom’s young talents include Elias Mohammed and Qassem Hussain from Al Etihad; Ali Al Madani and Mohammed Al Marzouq from Al Ettifaq; Talal Al Zuwaid, Sayed Al Musawi and Ali Abdulkarim from Al Najma; Sayed Hussain Al Muhafaza, Salman Al Shuwaikh, Mohammed Ayad, Abdulla Samir and Mahmoud Al Johar from Barbar; Sayed Mahmoud Al Falahi and Sayed Mohammed Al Falahi from Tubli; Jaafar Abdulshaheed and Ahmed Taleb from Tadhamun; Ali Abdulredha and Mohammed Yousef from Al Shabab; and Abbas Hussain from Samaheej.

This year’s youth handball World is its first edition to feature a 32-team field. By playing for 29th place, the Bahrainis are assured of their lowest ranking in their five appearances in the worlds. They were eighth in 2007, 17th in 2011, 22nd in 2017 and 17th in 2019.