Qatar enter semis of Olympic qualifiers as pool champions

Jiangmen, January 10, 2020-Qatar emerged as Pool B champions at the 2020 Men's Volleyball Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Jiangmen, China, despite losing to South Korea in their final pool match.Qatar, who had emphatically beaten India and Australia in their opening matches, started slowly against the Koreans and lost the first two sets at Jiangmen Sports Center on Thursday.Though Qatar came back strongly to win the next two and level the scores they lost the decider narrowly (18–25, 26–28, 25–22, 25–20, 13–15) The win helped Korea progress to the semis as the second-placed team from the pool.Bilal Nabil shone the brightest for Qatar with 18 points while captain Mohamed Ibrahim Said was, as usual, a towering presence with 14.Qatar, coached by Camilo Soto, will take on the runners up of Pool A which will be decided after the final clash between Iran and hosts China.

Qatar, Syria play to draw in AFC U23 Championship

Bangkok, January 10, 2020-Qatar were held to a 2-2 draw by Syria who came back from two goals down to salvage a point in Group B of the AFC U23 Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday.Substitute Alaa Aldin Dali struck late, converting Mohammad Alhallak's cross at the far post to earn a share of the spoils for Syria on a night when Yusuf Abdurisag's early effort and an own goal from defender Yosief Mohammad had given Qatar a two-goal lead.Qatar were ahead within 60 seconds of the kickoff. Syria goalkeeper William Ghannam fumbled Amro Surag's deep cross leaving Yusuf Abdurisag the simplest of finishes from close range.To his credit, Ghannam made amends for his error moments later, this time palming away Hashim Ali's fierce drive following a neatly worked free-kick.After weathering a brief Syrian flurry, Qatar stretched their advantage in the 22nd minute as Yosief put through his own net when trying to deal with Homam Ahmed's whipped cross.Syria were, though, to throw themselves a lifeline as half-time approached, Abdul Rahman Barakat converting Kamel Koaeh's pinpoint set-piece courtesy of a powering header that gave Qatar goalkeeper Mohammed Al Bakri little or no chance.Clearly buoyed by their goal, Syria started the second half brightly, with first substitute Abdul Kader Adi fizzing a drive narrowly wide on 56 minutes and then Barakat thumping an effort into the side netting shortly after.As the game wore on and with defences dominating, Qatar forward Khalid Mazeed forced Ghannam into a smart stop, before the Al Wathba custodian produced a fine double save to deny Hashim Ali and Abdurisag.However, in a dramatic late twist, Dali was on hand to draw Syria level and crown a sensational fight back.Qatar will next be in action when they face Saudi Arabia, with Syria scheduled to meet Japan. Both games will take place at the Thammasat Stadium on Sunday.

Rublev marches into the quarters

Doha, January 9, 2020- World No. 62 Miomir Kecmanovic scripted an unexpected 7-6 (9), 6-1 upset of 2012 champion and third-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in their pre-quarters clash on Wednesday to set up a clash against Marton Fucsovics, who had earlier defeated Turkey's Cem İlkel 6-1, 6-4.The 20-year-old Serbian, who as at this time last year was ranked outside the top-130, gave a stunning performance, especially during the first set where he held his nerve to win the tie-break.“I'm delighted to win against a big player like Tsonga and I hope this will boost my confidence going forward as I plan to go as far as possible at this tournament. I can't fully express how I'm feeling right now with this result but it's obviously a feeling I'll like to continue," the obviously elated Kecmanovic, who is making his maiden appearance in Doha, said.Meanwhile, Second-seed Andrey Rublev advanced into the quarters with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Kazakhistan's player Mikhail Kukushkin while singles' top-seed Stan Wawrinka and Frances Tiafoe's doubles campaign came to an end after tasting a 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final defeat in the hands of Rohan Bopanna and Wesley Koolhof.Rublev, who won 82 percent of his first serve and fired four aces on his way to victory, will be up against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who got the better of Serbia's Laslo Đere with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph in just 62 minutes, in the last-eight.In the other match of the day, Doha-resident Fernando Verdasco got a third-set bagel in his 2-1 (7-5, 4-6, 6-0) defeat of sixth-seed Filip Krajinovic in a match that lasted the whole of 2 hours and 5 minutes.

2020 Winter Youth Olympics to begin on Thursday

Lausanne, January 9, 2020- The Third Winter Youth Olympics – Lausanne 2020 will begin on Thursday. The Games will bring together 1800 athletes from 76 National Olympic Committees. The opening ceremony of the games will be held at the Vaudoise Arena, in Lausanne at 9:30 pm. The state of Qatar will be represented by Thawab Al-Subaey who will participate in Boys' 3x3 Mixed Ice Hockey Tournament in the first Qatari appearance in Winter Youth Olympics.Thawab Al-Subaey will also bear the Qatari flag during the opening ceremony on Thursday.

Team Qatar cruise to semifinals of Volleyball Olympic qualifiers

Jiangmen, January 9, 2020-Qatar defeated Australia for their second straight victory to all but ensure their place in the semifinals of the 2020 Men's Volleyball Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Jiangmen, China on Wednesday.Qatar won 25-15, 25-21, 25-323 for their second straight-set victory and take on South Korea in the third match on Thursday.They top Pool A six points and a maximum set ratio.At Jiangmen Sports Center on Wednesday, Geraldo Goiano was again in top form for Qatar accounting for 14 points.Bilal Nabil, captain Mohamed Ibrahim Said and Nader Abu Bakr also played their parts to perfection as Qatar finished off the Aussies in 88 minutes.In the other match in Pool B, South Korea registered their first points with 25–19, 25–20, 25–23 victory against India.Meanwhile, in Pool A, Iran blanked Kazakhstan 28-26, 25-16, 25-18 for their second win.

Qatar to take on Syria in AFC U-23 Championship on Thursday

Bangkok, January 8, 2020-Qatar will take on Syria on Thursday in the beginning of their campaign at the AFC U-23 Championship to be held in Thailand from January 8 to 26.Qatar who finished third in the last edition in China, are placed alongside 2016 champions Japan, Saudi Arabia and Syria in Group B.Qatar Squad:Amro Abdulfatah, Abdullah Ali, Hamam Al Amin, Salah Hassan, Khalid Mounir, Ahmed Suhail, Ali Malallah, Mohammed Al Bayati, Hassan Ahmed, Tariq Sulaiman, Meshaal Barshim, Hashim Ali, Adel Al Ahmed, Ahmed Al Menhali, Abdulrashid Amaro, Abdullah Al Ahraq, Mohammed Adel, Abdulrahman Mohamed, Khalifa Al Bakri, Yousef Abdulrazaq, Jassim Jaber, Yazan Al Sheikh, Nasser Al Yazidi, Nasser Al Ahraq, Mohammed Al Bakri and Nayef Abdulrahim.​