Kuwait, January 22 (QNA) – The Qatari national handball team defeated their Saudi Arabian counterparts 32-25 in their first match of the main round of the 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship, currently being held in Kuwait and continuing until January 29. The tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2027 World Men's Handball Championship in Germany.

The defending champions secured their first victory in the main round thanks to a strong performance, particularly in the second half.

The first half ended in a 14-14 tie, but the Qatari team pulled ahead in the second half to clinch the win. Qatari player Ahmed Madadi was named Man of the Match.

The Qatari team is scheduled to play Bahrain on Friday, in their second main round match, before concluding their matches in this round against the UAE on Sunday.

The Qatari national team will compete in Group B of the main round, alongside Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Group A consists of Kuwait, Iraq, Japan, and South Korea.

The top two teams in the main round will advance to the semifinals and also secure direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship.

The Qatari team aims to defend its Asian title, which it has won in the last six editions, and qualify for the World Championship for the eleventh time in its history. Its best result in the World Championship was second place in the 2015 edition (Qatar 2015).

The Qatari national team won the title in the last edition, the 21st Asian Men's Handball Championship, held in Bahrain last year, after defeating Japan 30-24 in the final. (Q