Bahrain Begin Quarter-Final Push

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Bahraini juggernaut rolled through the group stage, untouched and unbothered. Their latest display on Monday, which was a 3-0 sweep of the UAE (25-15, 25-15, 25-18) on the final day of preliminary play, sealed their place atop Pool A and set the tone for today’s quarter-finals at the WAVA Men’s Volleyball Championship.

Led by head coach Arnaud Josserand, “Al Ahmar” once again showed why they’ve become the tournament’s team to beat. By the second set, Bahrain were already rotating freely — not to recover, but to reassert dominance with fresh legs and fresh angles.

Three players — Mohamed Anan, Mohamed Yaqoob, and Mohamed Jassim — shared top-scoring honors with eight points apiece. The UAE’s offensive threat, led by Mohamed Al Suwaidi (8 points), never truly sparked, as Bahrain’s block-and-serve game smothered their rhythm from start to finish.

Complete Team Display

It wasn’t just the scoreline that told the story. Bahrain posted 75 total points to UAE’s 48, with a 6-0 ace serve advantage and twice as many blocks (6-2). Even the French Ambassador to Bahrain, Éric Giraud-Telme, made his appreciation known as he was seen applauding courtside and shaking hands with Josserand after the final whistle.

Eyes on Knockouts

 “Alhamdulilah for the win,” said Bahraini attacker Ali Ebrahim post-match. “The prelims are done, and now we focus on the knockouts. With all respect to our opponents, this was our toughest game so far because the UAE’s level is high. But we stayed calm and got it done.”

Now, with the group stage wrapped, all eight teams march into tonight's quarter-finals. For Bahrain, the path to gold begins just the way they wanted.

Elsewhere in the championship

Jordan finally broke through with their first win of the tournament, beating Lebanon 3-1 with set scores of 25-20, 31-29, 19-25, and 25-17. Captain Hassan and Waleed's tactical guidance helped shore up the serve game, while Mahmoud Al Naqib starred with 18 points. Lebanon’s Paul Bou Akl led all scorers with 19 points in a losing cause. Jordan now sit third in Pool A with three points; Lebanon remain winless.

“We were able to be at our best,” said Al Naqib. “Our level keeps improving. This was a team win, and InshAllah we continue to raise the heads of Jordanians in this tournament.”

Saudi Arabia found form at just the right time, picking up their first win in a tight match against Oman. They won 3-0 with scores of 25-22, 25-23, and 28-26. Middle blocker Waleed Al Otaibi’s standout blocking made the difference, as the Saudis recorded 12 blocks. Mohammad Adel (18 points) and Marwan Hawsawi (16 points) fueled the offense.

“It was a tough game,” Hawsawi said. “But we found a way. The best is yet to come.”

Qatar extinguished Kuwait’s comeback hopes in a five-set thriller to top Pool B with 8 points. The match ended 3-2 in Qatar’s favor, with set scores of 25-12, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25, and 15-11. Bilal Abu Naboot was immense, racking up 20 points including a staggering 11 blocks. Despite a solid effort from Rashid Anbar and the rest of Kuwait’s squad, Qatar survived the scare and held firm in the final set.

“Three games in three days is not easy,” said Qatar’s Abdulrahman Bakri. “We stayed focused, and our goal hasn’t changed because every match is a step toward the championship.”

Quarterfinals Begin

- Jordan vs Saudi Arabia at 1 PM

- Oman vs UAE at 3 PM

- Qatar vs Lebanon at 5 PM

- Kuwait vs Bahrain at 7 PM