Dar Kulaib on brink of first WAVA crown

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Dar Kulaib will bid for regional glory today when they take on Qatar’s Al Rayyan in the final of the fourth West Asia Men’s Clubs Volleyball Championship in Kuwait City.

The gold-medal match is scheduled for 5pm Bahrain time at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex Hall. Earlier in the day, Al Ahli will face Kuwait Sports Club in the bronze-medal play-off at 3pm, before the tournament concludes with the closing ceremony.

Dar Kulaib’s journey to the final has been built on consistency and resilience. They began their Group C campaign with a fourset win over Oman’s Seeb Club, followed by a straight-sets victory against Kuwait’s Burgan club. A tight 3-2 loss to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad did little damage, as the Bahrainis still topped the group with seven points to advance.

Their form strengthened in the knockout stages. A dominant 3-0 victory over Iraq’s Ghaz Al Junoob in the quarter-finals was followed by an emphatic 3-0 (25- 17, 25-21, 25-13) sweep of Al Ahli in Thursday’s semi-final.

In that all-Bahraini encounter, Dar Kulaib’s tactical superiority proved decisive. Strong serving unsettled Ahli’s reception, while middle blockers Hasan Alwarqaa and Hassan Abbas dominated at the net.

Kenyan professional Enock Mogeni, Pakistan’s Murad Jehan and captain Mahmood Abdulwahed delivered the offensive punch under Montenegrin head coach Ivan Joksimovic.

Dar Kulaib previously competed in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2023 in Jordan, where they secured a bronze medal after finishing third. Guided again by Joksimovic, they are now aiming to surpass that achievement and claim their first West Asian title.

Awaiting them is a formidable Al Rayyan side chasing a fourth consecutive West Asia crown. The Qatari champions topped Group A with wins over Ghaz Al Junoob and Oman’s Majees, before eliminating hosts Kuwait Club 3-1 in the semi-finals. Led by Estonian star Oliver Venno and supported by Marcos Vinicius and Papemaguette Diagne, Al Rayyan bring pedigree and championship experience to the final.

For Dar Kulaib, the opportunity is clear: build on their proud history in the competition and attempt to dethrone the region’s dominant force.