Al Najma Face Sharjah in Must-Win Asian Club Clash

TDT | Manama

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Al Najma will aim to secure their first points of the 28th Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship when they take on UAE side Sharjah SC tonight at 8pm in Kuwait.

Competing under new head coach Abdulrahman Mohamed, Al Najma are chasing a third Asian club title. They previously lifted the championship trophy in 2017 and 2023, finished runners-up in 2015 and 2022, and claimed third place in 2001.

The Bahraini giants head into the contest after back-to-back defeats against Kuwait SC and Al Duhail, but have shown encouraging signs against strong opposition. Veteran star Mohammed Habib Ahmed has led the way, including a 10-goal performance against Al Duhail that earned him player-of-the-match honours.

Today’s clash carries added importance, as both Al Najma and Sharjah are still searching for their first points of the campaign. Kuwait’s Burgan and Saudi Arabia’s Al Khaleej currently lead the standings with five points from three matches, while Kuwait SC are close behind with four. Qatar’s Al Duhail sit fourth with two points from two games, and Al Arabi also have two points from three outings.

With the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals on June 15 and the medal matches scheduled for June 17, a victory would provide a timely boost to either side’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage and keeping pace with the teams above them in the standings.