Qatar U-20 Suffer Narrow Defeat to Saudi Arabia in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

Doha: Qatar's U-20 national football team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia on Sunday in the third and final round of Group E action in the qualifiers for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup China 2027.Talal Ibrahim scored the decisive goal for Saudi Arabia in the 81st minute to secure all three points and maintain his side's perfect record in the group.In the other Group E match played on Sunday, Oman and Hong Kong drew 1-1 at Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium.Saudi Arabia finished top of the group with nine points from three matches, followed by Oman on four points, Qatar on three and Hong Kong on one.The result saw Saudi Arabia secure direct qualification for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup China 2027 as Group E winners.Saudi Arabia had opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Hong Kong, while Oman beat Qatar 2-1 in the opening round.In the second round, Saudi Arabia edged Oman 3-2, while Qatar recorded their only victory of the qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win over Hong Kong.Under the qualification format, the winner of each group qualifies directly for the finals, along with the seven best second-placed teams from the eight qualifying groups.The final tournament will be hosted by China in 2027. (QNA)

Preparations in Full Swing for QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash 2026

Doha: Doha is preparing to welcome the world’s leading squash players once again as the QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash 2026 returns to the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex from September 12 to 18.Preparations are in full swing at the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation for the prestigious tournament, which attracts many of the world’s highest-ranked men and women each year.One of the leading events on the international squash calendar, the QTerminals Qatar Classic has built a strong global reputation for its high organizational and technical standards, providing players with an ideal environment in which to compete at their best.The tournament also provides participating players with comprehensive services from the moment they arrive at Hamad International Airport, including five-star accommodation and access to world-class training and competition facilities.Tariq Zainal, Secretary General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation, confirmed that the leading ranked players in both the men’s and women’s draws will compete for the title in Doha.“As always, the Qatar Federation will deliver a tournament of the highest organizational standard and provide an outstanding experience for spectators,” Zainal said, welcoming all the players taking part in this year’s competition.He expressed his delight at the continued commitment of the world’s leading squash players to competing in Doha and at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, which also annually hosts the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, a WTA 1000 event, and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, an ATP 500 tournament. The venue will also stage the World Padel Championship for the third time in around two months.Zainal, on behalf of the Organizing Committee chaired by Nasser bin Ghanim Al Khelaifi, wished all participating players the best and invited fans to attend the tournament and enjoy world-class squash at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.Launched in 2001, the QTerminals Qatar Classic has established itself as one of the leading tournaments in world squash, regularly attracting many of the sport’s biggest names to Doha.This year’s men’s field features Qatar’s Abdulla Al Tamimi alongside a host of the world’s leading players, including Egypt’s Mostafa Asal, the top seed and last year’s runner-up; Peru’s Diego Elias, a two-time Qatar Classic champion in 2021 and 2024; and New Zealand’s Paul Coll, the defending champion.Al Tamimi has competed in the Qatar Classic on nine previous occasions, with his best result coming in 2022 when he reached the quarterfinals. Qatar’s leading squash player achieved a career-high world ranking of No. 16 on October 30, 2023, his highest position since turning professional in 2011.Among Al Tamimi’s other notable achievements are a bronze medal at the Asian Games in China, the title at the fourth Qatar Squash Federation Bronze tournament and victory at the Qatar Challenger 2023.Al Tamimi faces a challenging opening-round encounter this year against Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad, while his Qatar teammate Salem Al Malki will take on Melvil Scianimanico.World No. 1 Mostafa Asal will begin his campaign against Switzerland’s Nicolas Müller as he looks to go one step further after finishing runner-up to Coll last year. Defending champion Coll will open against England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy, while Elias will face American Timmy Brownell.In the women’s draw, Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy returns to Doha to defend the title she won in 2025, having also lifted the trophy in 2023. She will be joined by compatriot Nour El Sherbini, the 2024 champion, as well as Nouran Gohar, who will be seeking her first Qatar Classic title, and American Olivia Weaver.El Hammamy will face fellow Egyptian Hana Moataz in the opening round, while El Sherbini takes on Nada Abbas. Weaver will meet Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim, with Gohar facing compatriot Kenzy Ayman.The world’s leading players will compete for a total prize purse of USD 484,000 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.El Hammamy claimed her second Qatar Classic title last year with a straight-games victory over El Sherbini in the final, winning 11–6, 15–13, 11–8.In the men’s final, Coll captured his first Qatar Classic title after defeating then world No. 1 Asal 3–1 (11–9, 6–11, 11–8, 11–5).

Qatar Women’s Volleyball Team to Conclude West Asian Championship Campaign Against Lebanon

Amman: Qatar’s women’s national volleyball team lost 3–0 to Iraq on Saturday in their second match of the third West Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, currently underway in Amman, Jordan, and continuing until September 7.Iraq secured the victory in straight sets, 25–13, 25–18, 25–21, to record their first win of the championship after losing their opening match to Lebanon 3–2.Qatar had begun their campaign with a 3–0 defeat to hosts Jordan, 25–14, 25–23, 25–16, leaving them still in search of their first victory after two matches.The championship features Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon and is being played in a single round-robin format, with each team facing the other three once. The team with the best overall record at the end of the competition will be crowned champions.The winners will also secure direct qualification for the 2027 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take place next June.Qatar will conclude their campaign against Lebanon on Monday at 4:00 PM, while Jordan and Iraq will meet at 6:00 PM in the final match of the championship.Qatar are competing with a 12-player squad under Argentine head coach Lucas Carolo. 

Team Qatar to Face Chinese Taipei in Second Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship Match

Tokyo:  Qatar’s senior men’s volleyball team lost 3–0 to Thailand in their opening match of the 2026 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, currently underway in Fukuoka, Japan, and continuing until September 14.Thailand secured the victory in straight sets, 25–22, 25–19, 25–14, in the opening round of Pool C.In the other Pool C match, South Korea defeated Chinese Taipei 3–0.Qatar will return to action on Sunday when they face Chinese Taipei in their second pool match, looking to bounce back from their opening defeat and record their first victory of the championship.Team Qatar will then conclude the pool stage against South Korea on September 8.The top two teams from each pool, along with the best third-placed team, will advance to the quarterfinals.Qatar will be aiming to secure a place in the knockout stage as they continue their preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. 

Younousse and Tijan to play for bronze at 2026 AVC Beach Volleyball Asian C’ships

Beijing: Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan will play for the bronze medal at the 2026 AVC Beach Volleyball Asian Championships after suffering a defeat to Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher in a thrilling semi-final clash on Saturday.The second-seeded Qatari pair, Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalists comfortably won the first set against the third-seeded Nicolaidis and Carracher, but the Aussie pair produced a determined comeback to win 2-1 (14-21, 24-22, 15-11) after 56 minutes.The defeat ended Younousse and Tijan’s hopes of claiming the continental title, but they remain in contention for a podium finish.They will now face China’s top seeds Wu Jiaxin and Zhou Chaowei in today’s third-place match in Shangluo. Nicolaidis and Carracher will meet fellow Australians Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood in today’s gold-medal showdown, with the winners guaranteed a berth in the Los Angeles Olympics.Earlier, Younousse and Tijan defeated China’s Yanwei Wang and Hongjun Du in straight sets (21-12, 21-16) to advance to the semis, following a 21-12, 21-13 win over Kazakhstan’s Sergey Bogatu and Kirill Gurin in the round of 16 the day before. 

Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan Advance to Asian Championship Quarterfinals

Beijing: Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Championship in Shangluo, China, after defeating Kazakhstan’s Bogatu and Gurin in straight sets in the Round of 16.The Qatari pair secured a convincing 2–0 victory (21–12, 21–13) to book their place in the last eight.Cherif and Tijan had progressed to the Round of 16 after topping Pool B with a perfect record, recording three consecutive victories over Malaysia’s Teh and Yong Jian, New Zealand’s Sam and Ben O’Dea, and Thailand’s Nitithorn and Poravid.They will face China’s Wang and Du in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 5:00 AM Doha time.The Qatari duo will be looking to continue their challenge for the title and strengthen their prospects on the road to qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.Cherif and Tijan boast an impressive record that includes bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and fourth place at Paris 2024, as well as three Asian titles and two Asian Games gold medals. They also claimed gold at the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games in April.