Latest news with #WestAsiaChampionship
Observer
2 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman fall to Qatar in West Asia volleyball championship
MUSCAT: Oman's national men's volleyball team lost to Qatar 3 sets to 1 in their second match of the West Asia Championship, held at the Isa Bin Rashid Hall in Riffa, Kingdom of Bahrain. The match featured clear technical fluctuations, with Oman shining in the third set before Qatar sealed the win with more consistent performance. The Red Warriors started the match energetically, taking an early 4-0 lead thanks to strong performances from Al Juradi and Al Maamari. However, Qatar quickly regained balance, capitalising on defensive errors and poor reception to win the first set 25-19. In the second set, the Qatari team fully dictated the pace. They appeared more organised and composed, while Oman struggled with focus and accuracy in passes and spikes, despite individual efforts from Ismail al Hidi and Saud al Maamari. Oman dropped the set 25-16. The third set saw Oman's best performance of the match. The players entered with determination, showing clear intent to mount a comeback. Ismail al Hidi stood out with several powerful spikes, while Younis al Amri and Saud al Maamari's movements helped establish a 23-21 lead. At the crucial point, Al Hidi returned to seal the set for Oman at 25-23, reviving hopes for a comeback. Despite a promising start to the fourth set, with Mahmoud al Saadi scoring the opening point followed by a strong shot from Al Maamari, individual errors re-emerged, especially in reception and backcourt coverage. This gave the Qataris the edge to regain control. As Oman lost focus midway through the set, Qatar widened the gap and closed the set 25-14, winning the match 3-1. Statistically, Oman scored a total of 79 points, committed 23 unforced errors, missed 6 serves, and registered 7 blocks. The standout performer for Oman was Ismail Al-Hidi, who scored 26 points (24 attack, 1 serve, 1 block) and was named Best Player of the Match despite the defeat. The players entered with determination, showing clear intent to mount a comeback After the match, Ismail al Hidi, a player for the national team, confirmed that the team had played an ideal third half and had come close to a comeback, but that the physical decline and lack of concentration in the fourth half had a significant impact. He added that he had tried to give the team a morale boost through his offensive performance, while also emphasising that the team still had much to offer in the tournament Mohammed al Muqbali acknowledged Qatar's strength, saying, We faced a very organised team. Small details made the difference. We must move past this loss and prepare for what's next. Younis al Amri noted the team's improvement in the third set but admitted the loss of focus afterwards. The tournament is still in its early stages. We'll correct our mistakes and come back better. Despite the loss, Oman still has a chance to recover in upcoming matches. The technical staff and players have pledged to work hard to fix their mistakes and return to winning ways, relying on their fighting spirit and the promising young talents who showed great potential during the match.
Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain Wheelchair Basketball Team Takes 5th Place
Bahrain's wheelchair basketball team secured fifth place in the West Asia Championship after a 57–42 win over Palestine's Al Mustaqbal team in Amman. This marks the team's third victory in the tournament, showcasing improved performance and teamwork. Player Nabeel Al Doseri was named MVP after scoring 107 points and was selected for the Team of the Tournament, highlighting Bahrain's progress in para-sports. Also read: Bahrain: Expat Arrested For Stealing Over BD7,000 From Company 19 hours ago 19 hours ago 19 hours ago
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait faces a crucial test against Saudi Arabia at the West Asia Volleyball Championship
MANAMA, July 19: Kuwait's national volleyball team will take on Saudi Arabia today in its second match of the inaugural West Asia Men's Volleyball Championship, being held at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Bahrain. The Group A clash is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm. as part of the tournament's second round of fixtures. Also in Group A, Qatar will take on Oman, while Group B features two matchups: the UAE vs. Jordan and Bahrain vs. Lebanon. The tournament officially began late last night, with Kuwait facing Oman in its opening fixture. In preparation for the championship, the Kuwaiti squad held an overseas training camp in Tunisia, where it played four friendlies—winning two and losing two. Under the leadership of Argentine head coach Julián Álvarez and assistant coach Zaid Al-Kazemi, the team aims to deliver strong performances and secure a spot in the semifinals. This first-ever edition of the West Asia Championship carries significant weight, as it is held under the umbrella of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and its outcomes will influence international rankings. Being the inaugural tournament, every participating nation is highly motivated to make history by becoming the first champion of the event. In other news, continental referee Hussein Al-Tamimi has arrived in Bahrain to participate in officiating matches throughout the tournament.
Observer
5 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman face Kuwait in West Asia tourney opener
MUSCAT, JULY 18 Oman national men's volleyball team will begin its journey in the West Asia Championship this evening, where they will face Kuwait at Isa Bin Rashid Hall in the Bahraini capital, Manama. This match is part of Group B of the championship, which is taking place from July 17 to 27, with eight teams participating: Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon. Under the leadership of Iranian coach Reza Hossein Kaki, our national team enters the opening match with high aspirations, aiming for a strong start to provide them with a motivational boost before their next matches against Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The team has completed its preparations with a successful training camp in Egypt, along with four friendly matches against the Saudi team, winning three and losing one, which helped enhance their technical and physical readiness. In a statement, Iranian coach Reza Hossein Kaki expressed his confidence in the players' ability to deliver an honorable performance in the tournament, confirming that the team is ready both technically and mentally for the opening match against Kuwait. He said, "We went through an intensive preparation phase that included an internal camp and then an external camp in Egypt, where we played friendly matches with Egypt and the UAE, achieving positive results. We also played four matches with Saudi Arabia in Muscat, winning three of them. This programme was not just about physical and technical preparation; it was also an important phase to build cohesion and increase understanding between the team's lines." Kaki added "we respect the Kuwaiti team, which is strong and has excellent players, but we are well-prepared for this match. We will analyse their strengths and weaknesses after the start of the game, and we will have a strategic plan to deal with different match scenarios." Kaki explained that the mental aspect and psychological pressure have received great attention from the technical staff in recent days, saying, "Short tournaments require a great balance of focus, and every point will be crucial in a group that includes strong teams like Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The players are mentally ready, and we understand the importance of every point in this group. On his part, Sabah al Buraydi, the team manager, confirmed that the team is in top physical and mental condition, pointing out that the players are fully committed to the instructions of the coaching staff. He added, "The players are fully ready and showing clear commitment to the plan and instructions. Everyone is excited to represent Oman in a way that does it justice." Regarding the selection of the team, Al Buraydi said that the players were chosen based on a close follow-up of the local league matches, and the list was reduced to 14 players after several withdrawals due to injuries. There is good harmony between the technical, administrative staff, and the players, which is one of our strongest points. TEAM READINESS AND HIGH SPIRITS Younis al Amri, a player on the team, confirmed that the team's morale is high ahead of the opening match, explaining that the team underwent an ideal preparation period and is now more ready than ever. Al Amri said, we had a strong camp in Egypt and played matches against the Saudi team, which helped us improve our performance and increase cohesion among us. He added, the match against Kuwait is psychologically important, and we understand its significance. A win will give us a motivational boost for the rest of the journey, and we are ready to achieve that. The list of players selected for the championship includes 14 players chosen after a series of camps and friendly matches: Saud al Maamri, Ahmad al Toubi, Yousef al Shukaili, Hamad al Maamri, Mohamed al Muqbali, Adam al Jalboubi, Abdullah al Muqbali, Abdullah al Shibli, Ismail al Hadi, Khamis al Jabri, Younis al Amri, Mahmoud al Saadi, Adam al Jaradi, and Abdulbasit al Balushi. The team is technically overseen by Iranian coach Reza Hossein Kaki, assisted by Hamid bin Mahj al Muqbali as the assistant coach. Buba Serous Aziezi is in charge of physical preparation, and Mohammed Ma'in serves as the performance analyst, assisted by Abdullah al Dhahouri.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait begins West Asia Volleyball Championship title quest against Oman
MANAMA, July 17: Kuwait's national volleyball team will begin its campaign in the inaugural West Asia Championship on Saturday, with a Group B match against Oman at 3:00 pm. The tournament is being held at Isa bin Rashid Hall in the Bahraini capital, Manama. Also in Group B, Saudi Arabia will face Qatar at 5:00 pm. The championship opens earlier at 1:00 pm with a Group A clash between the UAE and Jordan, followed by hosts Bahrain taking on Lebanon at 7:00 pm. Kuwait recently concluded its overseas training camp in Tunisia, where it played four friendly matches — twice against Libya, once against Tunisia's youth team, and once against Algeria — winning two and losing two. Led by Argentine head coach Julián Álvarez and assistant coach Zaid Al-Kazemi, the Kuwaiti team is aiming to deliver strong performances throughout the tournament. However, their opener against Oman will be a tough test, as the Omani side is currently in a rebuilding phase, blending youthful talent with seasoned veterans. Kuwait's 14-man roster includes: Abdulaziz Najm, Yousef Mandeel, Fahad Saad, Abdulnasser Al-Enezi, Abdullah Al-Enezi, Abdulrahman Al-Mutawa, Saud Al-Duwaisan, Ahmed Al-Munais, Rashid Anbar, Athbi Malik, Fares Suleiman, Talal Abdulrazzaq, Ibrahim Mandeel, and Abdulrahman Mohammed. This tournament carries significant weight, as it is held under the authority of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and its results will count toward the global rankings. Moreover, as the first-ever edition of the West Asia Championship, all participating teams are eager to capture the historic title and become the first name engraved in the competition's records.
