Qatari handball team members and officials celebrate on the podium after winning the gold medal, defeating Bahrain 32-27 in the final during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta yesterday.
Jakarta: A brilliant late rally helped defending champions Qatar to seal their second back to back Asian Games Gold medal in handball following a thrilling 32-27 win over Bahrain yesterday.
The closely-fought final saw Bahrain start well, but Qatar soon equalised with Anis Zouaoui equalising with a shot from six meters on the right side of the opposition goal. Soon, Yousef Ali scored in the third minute to put Qatar in the lead (2-1).
But, Bahrain equalised late in the fourth minute through Bilal Askani and then continued to maintain a narrow lead throughout the first half. At the break, Bahrain were leading 14-13.
Coach Valero Rivera Lopez’s strategy clearly had changed as within the first minute of the second half Qatar equalised.Frankis Marzo scored from the six meters on the bottom left and it was all square with 14-14 on the board.
Bahrain stayed a level for a greater part of the game and at the regulation time, scores read 23-23 with Qatar scoring 12 goals in the second half and Bahrain 11.
Extra time The decider had to come in the extra time and that’s what happened, but not before the two teams were level at 25-25 at the end of the first half of the extra time. Four goals in succession by Qatar when the score was 26-26, changed the face of the game.
Bertrand Roine struck the first goal in the 63rd minute from nine meters on the bottom left, followed by Marzo’s goal two minutes later and then Yousef Ali’s goal in the 65th minute was enough to build a good margin.
Roine put another one via a penalty shot in the 67th minute to give Qatar a secure 30-26 lead. Bahrain netted through Ali Ali Merza towards the end, but Qatar score two more to increase the lead to five and eventually win the match 32-27.
“It was a big game, and Bahrain is a strong team,” Roine said after the match, speaking in French.
“We are now the kings of Asia in handball after we dominated the last five years,” he said.
Yesterday’s victory also makes Qatar only the second nation to bag the men’s handball tournament at consecutive Asian Games, after Republic of Korea won five in a row between 1986 and 2002.
Commenting on the team’s effort and deserved win, Team Qatar’s Ahmad Madadi said: “It wasn’t an easy game, we played against a very strong team. We did what it took to keep up with the score and played until our last breath. Today, also happens to be my birthday and it is a great way to celebrate with a gold medal.”
Four years ago, Team Qatar found their way to the final and won the Asian Games 2014 title after defeating South Korea in Inchon 2014.
The following year, Team Qatar secured a silver medal in front of a home crown at the 2015 World Men’s Handball Championships in Doha.
The team is looking ahead to 2019 World Men’s Handball Championship which will be hosted in Germany and Denmark in January 2019.
Yesterday’s gold medal took Qatar’s medal tally at the Games to 13, which includes six gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
Seven of Qatar’s medals have come in athletics while Qatari equestrian riders won a silver and a bronze. The rest of the medals came in beach volleyball, shooting and weightlifting.
Team Qatar will rely on their volleyball players today to add one more medal to the tally.
Qatar take on Chinese Taipei in the bronze medal match of the volleyball competition today
Qatar lost to their Iranian counterpart (23-25, 19-25, 18-25) on Thursday in the semi-finals and the win booked Iran a meeting with South Korea in today’s final.
