Bahrain Keep Perfect Record in GCC Handball

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s handball team continued their strong campaign at the fourth GCC Games in Doha with a 36–25 victory over Saudi Arabia at Duhail Handball Hall, reinforcing their reputation as one of the tournament’s leading contenders.

The reigning Asian champions, led by Swedish coach Robert Hedin, controlled the match from the opening whistle and never allowed their regional rivals to settle, building on their opening win against Kuwait.

Captain Hussain Al Sayyad set the tone early with a 2–0 lead, assisted by Mohammed Habib Nasser, as Bahrain quickly imposed their rhythm on both ends of the court. The early exchanges saw Bahrain’s structured attack repeatedly break through Saudi Arabia’s defence, with Mohammed Habib Nasser adding another key finish for 4–1.

The advantage continued to grow as Ahmed Fadhel struck for 9–3, before Salman Al Showaikh completed a well-worked move to push the score to 17–10. Bahrain’s fluid transitions and disciplined defensive shape ensured they remained firmly in control throughout the first half, going into the break with a comfortable 19–11 lead.

After the restart, Bahrain maintained their intensity and extended their dominance through fast breaks and efficient attacking sequences. Jassim Khamis added a goal for 21–13, Mohammed Habib Nasser struck again for 24–16, and Salman Al Showaikh produced further finishing quality with two more goals, including the final strike to seal a 36–25 win.

Saudi Arabia managed a late response, but Bahrain’s superiority remained clear until the final whistle confirmed another convincing victory in Doha.

“We played a good match, we were able to dominate from the start,” said Mohammed Habib Nasser. “In terms of our upcoming match against Qatar, we’ll have a look at the video clips and try to improve our performance.”

The win takes Bahrain to four points in the competition, strengthening their position ahead of a key clash with hosts Qatar at 4.30pm. It also marks back-to-back victories following their earlier success against Kuwait. National football goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla was among those in attendance, supporting the team from the stands.

Beyond handball, Bahrain’s athletes were also in action across several disciplines at the Games in Doha.

Snooker at the Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation Hall saw Bahrain’s men fall 3–1 to Oman, marking a setback in their campaign.

At the Aspire Dome, Bahrain’s women claimed a 2–1 victory over Qatar in padel, while the men’s team also faced Qatar.

At Lusail Shooting Range, Bahrain competed in both the men’s and women’s trap events (75 targets qualification).

The men’s team finished fifth and last with 184 points. In the men’s individual trap qualification, Ismaeel Ghuloom placed 14th with 65 points, Saeed Ali finished 17th with 62, and Ahmed Aldhawaihi came 21st with 57.

The women’s team finished third and last with 171 points. In the women’s individual trap qualification, Maryam Sulaiti placed 7th with 60 points, Marwa Buarki and Fatema Nasralla both finished 11th with 58 points, while Samah Hejres came 13th with 53.