Action during the semi-final between Qatar and Brazil.
Doha: Five-time Asian champions Qatar and the defending world champions Croatia made it to the final of the beach handball competition on the penultimate day of The World Games 2022, in Birmingham, USA.
Brazil and Qatar met in the second semi-final and it was no surprise it went to a shoot-out.
Qatar took a 2-1 (18:21, 22:10, SO 8:6) win but what was surprising was a second-period defensive performance which saw Brazil only manage to score 10 points, one of their lowest-ever period scores.
The Asia continental runners-up had gone 8:0 ahead with less than two minutes on the clock thanks to a turnover, save and steal. This set the scene and Brazil could not come near at all. Qatar even led by 14 towards the end (22:8).
Like the first semi-final shoot-out a second shot was missed, by Marcelo Tuller and with Brazil shooting first, their fifth was turned over by the usually-dependable Bruno Oliveira and Qatar could celebrate their first opportunity to play for The World Games gold.
“We are feeling great, proud and all the fatigue has gone,” said Qatar’s Mohamed Ahmed Zaky to ihf.info. “And, most of all, we have earned what we have been waiting for years ago.
“We were very nervous in the first period, but we were bored of getting kicked off every semi-final we have been through, so then [we knew] anger is not working, revenge is not working.
“We calmed down and did what we are meant to do. That is: play beach handball and enjoy the show. No more stress, just give it all that you have in order not to regret anything later.
“I don’t know how was it but we have been stress-relieved,” added Zaky, trying to explain their defensive performance in the second period.
Earlier, in the first semi-final, Croatia facd the hosts USA.
In another step forward for the US since their 0-2 (20:23, 21:22) reverse at the 2022 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championships in Greece, they took the game to a shoot-out.
Both periods before were intense. The USA took an early lead with Croatia then wrestled it back before the home team, buoyed by fantastic support took it back again. Backwards and forwards.
By the fifth minute, with Croatia 14:12 ahead (4:08 on the clock), the match settled. The Europeans stepped up a gear and outscored their opponents 18:6 over the next five minutes to secure a 32:18 victory.
All over then? No. this US side never ever gives up. Period. Firing on all cylinders under the hot Birmingham sun, they raced to a 6:0 lead just over 60 seconds into the second.
They never looked back, despite an Ivan Juric strike bringing his Croatian side to within two points in the eighth minute (18:20).
So it went to a shoot-out and the imposing 2,02m Drew Donlin was the unlucky one, his second-round shot saved. All further shots were scored, including an Ivan Dumencic one-pointer with Croatia’s fifth to ensure a 9:6 win.
