Latest news with #AsianJuniorBeachHandballChampionship
Observer
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman Stun Croatia in Beach Handball
MUSCAT, June 20 The Oman U-17 beach handball team delivered one of the most remarkable performances at the underway 2025 IHF Men's Junior Beach Handball World Championship in Hammamet, Tunisia on Thursday night following their victory over title holders Croatia in a dramatic 2-1 triumph during the main round competitions of the global event. The win marks a historic milestone for Oman boys in their debut appearance at the World Championship and placed them in strong contention for a quarterfinal berth. After dropping the first set by 22-12, Oman junior stars stormed back to take the lead in the second set by 22-20 before they sealed the victory in the penalty shootout by 9-6 thanks to two crucial saves by Oman's goalies Majid al Ghilani and Louay al Sulaimani. Oman head coach Jaber Yaqub al Balushi praised the players' resilience and efforts throughout the match. ' Despite the delay and losing in the opening set, our boys delivered an incredible discipline and mental strength in the second half. The players followed the tactical instructions perfectly and the goalkeepers were outstanding in the shootout. This win will give us tremendous motivation for the remaining matches in the round,' He said. The Oman Handball Association (OHA) chairman Moosa bin Khamis al Balushi thanked the players for their exceeding performance. OHA chief continued his close follow up to the team from Muscat through phone calls and extended his congratulations to the squad for their achievement. He requested from the players to maintain the same level of focus as they pursue a spot in the tournament's final eight. The opponent Croatia players started strongly in the match as they managed to earn the opening set by 22-12. Then, Oman regrouped with a composed and tactical second-half performance by head coach Jaber al Balushi who made few critical adjustments and urging the players to focus on positioning, composure and capitalising on Croatian errors. Oman players began the second half with better focus as they took the control and were leading by 6-4 through sharp attacks from Khattab al Hosni and Imad al Ghilani. Oman maintained the edge despite Croatia's relentless pressure eventually tying the score at 20-20 in the final minute. In the dying seconds, Coach Jaber called a strategic timeout as Mohammed al Hosni responded with a clutch point to seal the half and force a shootout. Oman converted all five of their penalty shots with composure while the defence stood tall. The turning point came when Oman's goalkeepers al Ghilani and al Sulaimani each saved Croatian attempt and ensured a famous win for Oman's junior stars. The 2025 championship featured from 32 teams in its largest edition ever with Oman having qualified after finishing fourth at the Asian Junior Beach Handball Championship in Thailand earlier this year.
Observer
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman U-17 beach handball team camp in Tunis
MUSCAT: The Oman U-17 beach handball team are gearing up in the underway external camp in Tunisia ahead of the 25th IHF Men's Junior World Championship which will begin in Tunisia from Tuesday to next Sunday. Oman, making their debut on the world stage, will compete in Group A, alongside former champions and powerhouses including Iran (2017 champions and 2022 bronze medalists), Spain (2018 Youth Olympic gold medalists), and Puerto Rico. Players in action during the training camp Under the guidance of head coach Jaber al Balushi, the national squad is undergoing an intensive external training camp in Tunisia, featuring a series of friendly matches against elite international teams to boost their readiness for the prestigious global event. As part of their build-up, the Omani team had played against Senegal on Saturday night, followed by a match against Brazil on Sunday. On Monday, the team will play Mexico in the morning session and the host nation Tunisia in the evening session. These preparatory matches are intended to simulate real match conditions and provide valuable competitive exposure to the young squad ahead of the championship. Coach Jaber al Balushi guides the training camp in Tunis Oman earned their spot in this year's World Championship after receiving a nomination from the Asian Handball Federation (AHF), following Qatar's withdrawal from the tournament. Oman had previously secured fourth place in the Asian Junior Beach Handball Championship in Thailand while Qatar ended in third place. The national team had completed a rigorous two-month domestic training programme in Muscat before heading abroad to fine-tune their skills. The Omani delegation is determined to deliver a strong performance despite the challenges of debuting on such a grand stage. Oman's group stage campaign will open against Iran on June 17, followed by back-to-back fixtures against Spain and Puerto Rico on June 18.
