Bahrain beat Morocco in handball friendly

TDT | Manama                                                    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s national handball team defeated their counterparts from Morocco 28-22 last night in a friendly game played at the Bahrain Handball Association arena in Um Al Hassam.

The tune-up was part of the Bahrainis’ preparations for the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship, which is set to be hosted by the Kingdom from 11 to 25 January next year. The two sides were tied at 13-all at the interval, but the hosts stepped it up in the final 30 minutes to come away with the win.

Yesterday’s contest was the first of two friendlies between Bahrain and Morocco this week. They meet again tomorrow evening at the same venue. The games with the Moroc[1]cans follow the nationals’ two friendlies against Iraq held last week, both of which they won. Following these fixtures, the Bahrainis travel to Nantes in France for an international friendly tournament that also features Brazil and Tunisia from 4 to 6 January.

The 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship also acts as a qualifier for 2025 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship. There are a total of 16 nations in the competition, with the top four securing places at the worlds.

The tournament is being hosted by Bahrain for the fourth time in its history, adding to the 2016, 2014 and 1993 events. The Bahrainis have never won the title, but have claimed the silver medals five times in the past and also won the bronze medal once. Bahrain are in Group D for the preliminary round along with the UAE, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.