Cuba downed as Palmarsson adds rocket fuel to Iceland
January 18, 2025
France stay unbeaten and head to main round with four points
January 18, 2025Qatar overcame a late surge from Kuwait to secure a hard-fought 25:22 win in the last match of Group C in Poreč. Despite a determined effort by Kuwait, Qatar’s early dominance sealed the deal in the Asian derby and left Kuwait with another Presidents’ Cup appearance.
GROUP C
Qatar vs Kuwait 25:22 (11:7)
Qatar had a blistering start to the game, racing to a 4:0 lead while keeping Kuwait scoreless for the first eight minutes of the match. The early lead set the tone, with Kuwait struggling to find their rhythm against Qatar’s solid 6-0 defence.
Even when Kuwait managed to break through, they faced Qatar’s goalkeeper Anadin Sulijakovic who was excellent, stopping five shots at a remarkable 56% efficiency in the opening 20 minutes. He kept his performance high, closing the game with 37%.
Kuwait’s defence was less effective in those early stages, with Abdulaziz Althafiri unable to stop Qatar’s back court players. However, when Hasan Safar took his spot, Qatar’s efficiency dropped to 44% and remained at that level until half-time, providing a glimpse of hope for Kuwait.
Despite Safar’s efforts, Kuwait’s attack failed to capitalise on his excellent saves. Opportunities to close the gap were missed, and though they managed to narrow the deficit to three goals at one point, they could not find the right recipe to trouble Qatar.
The restart was full of nerves, as neither side was able to score for five minutes, leaving the fans in Žatika Arena in Poreč to cheer for a couple of saves by the goalkeepers. At moments, it looked like both teams were faltering, but they found a new boost near the 45th minute.
First, it was Qatar who was riding on that newfound energy the most, and with Žarko Marković netting his sixth in the game, they set an 18:13 lead. But Kuwait once shifted the gear and spurred a 3-0 goal run to make Veselin Vujovic call for another time-out for Qatar.
Vujovic, who was celebrating his 64th birthday on Saturday, was left reeling on the bench, as, Kuwait continued to pounce, not allowing Qatar to lead by more than two up until the last five minutes of the game. Left wing Ahmad Madadi restored the four-goal lead, which proved to be decisive for the win, as Qatar secured a 25:22 win.
11 out of 14 outfield players score at least once for Qatar, with Žarko Marković leading the way with seven goals. Kuwait’s best individuals were left wing Abdulaziz Alshammari with eight goals, and goalkeeper Hassan Safar with 11 saves at 39% efficiency.
Kuwait, which came back to the competition after a 16-year hiatus, will once again play in the Presidents’ Cup, staying in Poreč. Qatar are going to the main round with zero points as the third-placed team for the second time in a row and are joining France and Austria in Varaždin.
hummel Player of the Match: Anadin Sulijakovic (Qatar)
