Qatar edge Bahrain in Asian Beach Games semi-final

Bahrain’s men’s beach handball team saw their Asian Beach Games campaign end in the semi-finals after a 2–0 defeat (13–8, 20–18) to Qatar yesterday at Tianya Haijiao. The result sends Bahrain into the bronze medal match against Thailand today at 3pm, while Qatar advances to face Iran in the gold medal final at 4pm.

Qatar took early control of the opening period with sharp finishing and quick transitions, driven by Amir Denguir and Abdulrazaq Murad. Bahrain stayed within reach early on, with Bilal Askani opening their account, but struggled to maintain efficiency in attack as the tempo increased. After briefly staying level at 4–4, Bahrain began to lose rhythm; missed opportunities were compounded by several key saves from Qatar goalkeeper Zarko Markovic. Qatar capitalised on the momentum to pull away and closed the period 13–8 ahead.

The second period saw a more composed and aggressive Bahrain side emerge. Askani and Mahdi Ali led the response, repeatedly converting spin shots to keep their team in contention, while Komail Mahfoodh provided valuable link-up play in attack. Bahrain’s defensive intensity also improved significantly, disrupting Qatar’s flow and forcing errors.

Midway through the period, Bahrain clawed their way back to level the score at 14–14 and again at 16–16, turning the contest into an end-to-end battle. Their transition play sharpened, and they briefly looked capable of overturning the deficit.

However, the decisive moments swung Qatar’s way. Crucial saves including a stopped six-metre penalty denied Bahrain the chance to take the lead. Denguir and Murad then stepped up in the closing stages, converting key chances to restore control for Qatar.

Despite Bahrain’s strong fightback, Qatar held firm to edge the second period 20–18 and secure a 2–0 victory.