Three Players from Qatar to Participate in IHF Beach Handball Showcase in Paris

Basel: The International Handball Federation (IHF) has selected three players from Qatar to participate in the "IHF Beach Handball Showcase" in Paris ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The three players are Mohsen Mohamed Al Yafai, Mohammed Zaky Hassan and Hani Marwan Kakhi. The IHF will hold competitions from July 27 to 29 in cooperation with the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJOP2024), the French Handball Federation (FFHB) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The competitions feature eight teams: three men's and three women's All-Star Teams, plus the French men's and women's national teams. The event will bring 64 of the world's best beach handball players from 18 countries, including players from Qatar, Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, the Netherlands, Norway, China, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United States of America, and Uruguay. Guiding the All-Star Teams will be six coaches: Khaled Hassan (Qatar), Leticia Brunati (Argentina), Mladen Paradzik (Croatia), Maria Karantoni (Greece), Tamas Neukum (Hungary) and Alexander Novakovic (Germany). (QNA)

Team Qatar rise in FIFA Rankings

Doha: Qatar football team have rocketed 3 places up the official World Rankings following their victory over Kuwait in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.  Team Qatar now occupy the 34th place in world rankings and the second place on the Arab level behind Morocco in the 13th place.  Qatar defeated Kuwait 2-1 on Wednesday to ensure their place at the 2027 Asian Cup and third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.  The two-time AFC Asian Cup champions had won each of their three previous matches in the group, including a 3-0 victory over Kuwait in the reverse fixture, while Wednesday’s hosts were sitting bottom of Group A with three points going into Matchday Four.  

Qatar defeat Kuwait and advance in WC qualifiers

Kuwait: Qatar left it late to defeat Kuwait 2-1 to ensure their place at the 2027 Asian Cup and third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Sabah Al Salem Stadium on Wednesday. The two-time AFC Asian Cup champions had won each of their three previous matches in the group, including a 3-0 victory over Kuwait in the reverse fixture, while Wednesday’s hosts were sitting bottom of Group A with three points going into Matchday Four. Almoez Ali was about to start celebrating when he bounced on a poor defensive clearance following Ismaeel Mohamed’s cross from the right, with his shot looking destined for the back of the net, but a heroic interception from defender Khaled Hajiah denied the Qataris the opener. Sulaiman Abdulghafoor needed to be at his best to stop Lucas Mendes’ powerful header following Abdullah al-Ahrak’s cross from the left, the Kuwaiti goalkeeper produced an exquisite reflex save to deny the Qatari defender. Ismaeel Mohamed and Ali combined again early in the second half with the right back crossing for Qatar’s all-time top scorer who rifled from a tight angle but watched his effort sail into the stands behind the Kuwaiti goal. Qatar continued to press forward in pursuit of an opener and had one of their biggest chances of the game just before the hour-mark when Akram Afif fed Ahmed al-Rawi inside the box and the young forward had just the goalkeeper to beat, but his attempt to round Abdulghafoor was frustrated by a smothering save. At the other end of the pitch, Kuwait came within a whisker of opening their account when Faisal al-Harbi curled a free-kick from 25 yards out, beating the wall but just not dropping quickly enough and ending up behind for a goal kick with his last effort before being subbed off. The series of squandered chances from both sides continued with Kuwait’s Mohamed Daham breaking free and finding his way inside the box, but as he attempted to finish into t he near corner, his attempt was not accurate enough, instead passing just wide of the upright. The stalemate finally came to an end in the 77th minute following a string of Qatari passes around the Kuwaiti box, with the ball finding its way to Afif down the right, and the new Qatar captain squared for Ali to tap home at the far post to put his country in the lead. The visitors’ joy lasted merely two minutes before Kuwait restored parity. Substitute Eid al-Rashedi delivered a pinpoint cross from the right for Daham who beat his markers to the ball and headed it in for 1-1. Ali refused to give up and a minute later he had found the back of the net again. The forward latched onto a long ball, beating the onrushing Abdulghafoor and lobbing him to restore Qatar’s lead. With the win, Qatar continue their perfect run in the qualifiers, sealing their place in the next round and the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia with 12 points, while Kuwait battle out for second place with India and Afghanistan, their next two opponents respectively.  

Sport Events team wins Beach Volleyball competition title of QOC Ramadan Tournament

DOHA – Sport Events team claimed the title of  Beach Volleyball competition for QOC departments after defeating opponents Procurement team 2-0 in the final   match held at the Lusail Shooting Range on Tuesday. Tuesday’s beach volleyball final was strong and competitive, where sport events men  took a  21-12 advantage over Procurement in the first half.  In the second half  Procurement team put all efforts to come back to the game, but Sport Events team produced a solid performance to score ( 21-18 ) victory to end the game 2-0. In the QOC’s Padel  first semifinals game played on Tuesday, the duo Mohammed Abdulsalam Abdalla & Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi advanced to the final, after edging  out the duo H.E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad  Al Thani and  Jassim  Mohammed Al-Mulla (9-7). Mohammed Abdulsalam Abdalla & Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi will lock horns against the winners from the second semifinals game between Adel Mohamed Al-Hashimi & Saud Adel Al-Hashimi  and  Ahmed Khaleel Al-Khaledi  and Ahmed Yousef Al-Darwish to be  held on Thursday. By organizing this annual sport tournament, the QOC aims to promote true values of sports and Olympism and making Sport For All and Sport For  Life  applicable and sustainable. The QOC Ramadan Tournament returns back with several values to employees by building up better social relations out of work environment,  help improving public health and preserving physical fitness for all  during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Qatar U23 team to meet Uzbekistan in a friendly match

Doha: Qatar U23 team will take on Uzbekistan in a friendly match in Doha on Tuesday ahead of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024, which is starting next month. The Qatar U23 squad will also take on China on March 31 before meeting Malaysia on April 7.   Hosts Qatar are in Group A of the 16-team continental event along with Australia, Jordan and Indonesia. Qatar U-23 squad: Ali Nader, Amir Hassan, Youssef Abdullah ((goalkeepers), Abdullah Al Ali, Abdullah Al Yazidi, Abdulaziz Mohammed, Abdulla Youssef, Ahmed Al Saeed, Ahmed Riyadh, Ayaub Al Ouwi, Eissa Al Nagar, Faisal Mohammed, Fares Saeed, Hassan Al Ghareeb, Hashemi Al Hussain, Jassem Al Sharshani, Khaled Ali, Latif Majer, Mostafa Al Sayed, Mohammad Jouda, Mohammad Khaled, Mohammad Mannai, Mubarak Shannan, Naif Al Hadrami, Nabil Erfan, Saif Al Din Hassan, Tameem Mansour, Youssef Ali.  

Sport Events to face Procurement in Beach Volleyball Final at QOC Ramadan Tournament

DOHA – Sport events team will lock horns against  procurement team  on Tuesday in the final game  of Beach Volleyball competition  for departments  of the QOC Ramadan Tournament 2024 , which is running  from  17th to 26th  of March  at the Lusail Shooting Range. Sport Events team  have reached the final game  after getting better of Secretariat - General Office 2-0 in the first semifinals match held on Saturday, while Procurement team booked their spot in the final, following a  2-0 over President Office in the second semifinals game. The padel semifinals matches will be held on Tuesday, where the duo H.E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad  Al Thani and  Jassim  Mohammed Al-Mulla will take on the duo Mohammed Abdulsalam Abdalla & Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi, while the duo Adel Mohamed Al-Hashimi and Saud Adel Al-Hashimi will play the duo,  Ahmed Khaleel Al-Khaledi  and Ahmed Yousef Al-Darwish. Padel knockout stage  held on Monday has seen competitive games, where the duo Adel Mohamed Al-Hashimi and Saud Adel Al-Hashimi edged out Sheikh Hassan bin Salman Al Thani and Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh Al Thani 9-0 in the first game,  the duo Ahmed Khaleel Al-Khaledi  and Ahmed Yousef Al-Darwish defeated the duo Salah Awad Al-Sinaidi &  Fahad Hussain Al-Breik 9-2 in the second game and the duo Mohammed Abdulsalam Abdalla & Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Balushi got better of the duo Omar Waleed  Al Hammadi &  Mohammed Waleed  Al Hammadi 9-1 in the third game. This  QOC Ramadan Tournament is  seeing  three key sport disciplines, Beach Volleyball ( for departments), Shooting event (Shotgun + Air gun) for Men , Women  and families  and Padel Event-Doubles (Men).