Pakistan overcome Qatar to reach final: Gulf Times

By John Verghese

BALI, Indonesia: Pakistan overcame Qatar 2-1 in a tense penalty shootout to enter the final of the handball competition at the Asian Beach Games here yesterday.
Pakistan won 8-10, 7-4, 11-10 in a late evening match to set up a title clash tomorrow with Kuwait, whom they beat in their preliminary pool match.
The Qatar team which lost to Thailand in their preliminary pool match will face them again in a play-off for the bronze medal tomorrow.
Earlier, Kuwait put it across Thailand 2-1 winning at 13-14, 10-8, 5-4 in the first semifinal.
Meanwhile, Indonesia increased their lead at the top of the medals tally, picking up one more gold in surfing yesterday for 14 gold, five silver and 10 bronze and a total of 29 medals. Thailand continue in the second spot with four gold, six silver and four bronze for a total of 14 medals.
Vietnam are third best with two gold, five silver and two bronze for an aggregate of nine medals. India continue to be in the eighth spot with two gold and one bronze for a total of three medals. While Philippines are lying in the 15th position with one silver and seven bronze medals for a tally of eight medals, Pakistan are in the 16th spot with one silver and one bronze for a total of two medals.
In the handball final, unless strong contenders Kuwait produce an inspired performance, Pakistan, who have looked the best team in the competition so far now appear well set to claim the gold in the absence of Asian powers China and South Korea, who have not fielded teams in the men’s category.
Pakistan took time to get their moorings in the match but settled down well to give Qatar a stern challenge. After losing the first period, Pakistan came back strongly tightening their defence while at the same time attacking with greater vigour to finish on top in the second period.
In the shoot-out, for Pakistan, Babar Sultan and Mohamed Sohaib were successful with both their attempts. Nasrullah and Mohamed Pervaiz scored the other goals. Azhar Khan was the lone player to have his attempt blocked.
For Qatar, Mahfoud Boumaraf scored from both his attempts. Waleed al-Nobi, Omar al-Khelaifi and Ahmed Naili were the other goal-getters. Abdulla al-Khatar fumbled with his attempted low shot.
Al-Nobi, who touched the goal area line with his second attempt in the shoot-out, had his goal disallowed by the referee resulting in Pakistan’s 11-10 victory.
Pakistan goalkeeper Tahir Ali was visibly pleased with his team’s entry into the final.
“It was a thrilling match and our team worked really hard to do well in this competition. The result could have gone either way but Allah was with us today. The fact that the Qatar player scored the goal in the shoot-out before it being disallowed by the referee shows it was divine providence,” Ali told Gulf Times yesterday.

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