QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Yasir Shah QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune claims three as 14 wickets fall on opening day of Pak-SA Test in Karachi PAGE 14 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021 Bouyant Qatar face Sweden challenge in QF clash tonight Qatari back Marzo in fight to be top-scorer IHF top scorer standings at Ger- CAIRO many/Denmark 2019. However, Marzo leads the TEAM spirit has never been ranking after six games, hav- more important in handball ing scored 53 of Qatar’s 136 than it is in these times, as goals in the event, or 36 per strong individual performanc- cent of his team’s goals. To es simply do not make the add more to his credit, Marzo cut anymore for teams to win is only one of the two players crucial games. in the top 10 scorers at Egypt The stats do tell the story 2021 who has not scored a at the 27th IHF Men’s World penalty, while 21 of Sagosen’s Championship, with the eight goals were scored from the teams that are still in the hunt 7-metre line. for the gold medal only boast- Swedish left wing Ham- ing five of the first 20 top scor- pus Wanne is seventh, with ers at Egypt 2021. 37 goals, while Egyptian pair Two of them are the cur- Mohammad Sanad (14th with rent top scorers at Egypt 2021, 32 goals) and Mohamed Mam- Qatari back Frankis Marzo douh (20th with 29 goals) are and Norwegian star player the only other players who ad- Sander Sagosen. vanced to the quarter-finals to Sagosen, the top scorer at hit the top 20 in the goal scor- the Men’s EHF EURO 2020, ers standings. needs a win against Spain to Sagosen is, however, still continue the hunt to become leading the assists rankings the top scorer at the IHF and there, it is not even close. Men’s World Championship The Norwegian star helped set for the first time in his career. up 37 goals in the six games he The two-time World Cham- played at Egypt 2021, 10 more pionship silver medallist (2017 than Chilean back Rodrigo and 2019) scored 50 goals in Salinas and Swiss centre back the first six games for Norway, Andy Schmid. as he is only one goal shy of his “I am feeling very good, performance from two years both on and off the court right The Qatar handball team players after their win against Argentina in the last Main Round Group II match of the 27th Men’s Handball World Championship in Cairo on Monay. ago, when he put 51 goals past now. I feel fresh, but you can the opponents’ goalkeepers. always be better. When I am During his three participa- on the court, I want to give Qatar Handball Association president praises Qatar’s team spirit and determination to excel tions at the IHF Men’s World 100 per cent every time. I also Championship, Sagosen has want to be flawless, to have a tina said, “While we didn’t start Lukas Sandell have had the have been won between 1998 scored 142 goals, consistently maximum efficiency. But that well, we continued fighting. I’m chance to represent Sweden at and 2004, including the IHF ranking among the top 10 can hardly happen, because I very proud of my team.” the highest level. But neither Men’s World Championship scorers, as he finished seventh shoot a lot,” said Sagosen to Rivera will hope for a similar of them have been lavished in 1999, also hosted by Egypt. at France 2017 and fifth in the Norwegian TV station TV2. performance against Sweden. with praise more than centre “I would have never Meanwhile, Qatar Hand- back Alfred J0nsson, a 22- thought that I will be selected ball Association President year old player at German club for the national team and pri- Ahmed Al Shaabi praised the TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, who or to Egypt, I would not have team’s spirit and their quar- is touted to be “the next big believed I was going to get so ter-finals qualification, saying thing” in Swedish handball. much playing time.” IHF/TNN to Denmark soon after paved they overcome bad prepara- Several coaches have pin- “I am feeling great here, we CAIRO the way for Qatar’s march into tion as a result of the new pointed Jonsson to have the have a great group, we did not the last four stage. coronavirus pandemic and in- most impact on the future of expect to win the group in the HAVING risen to the quarter- While Qatar are 2015 juries to key players. He added the national side. main round, but here we are and finals of the 27th IHF Men’s world championship runners- that the team is determined to “There is no pressure, I am we just want to progress in the Handball World Champion- up and reigning Asian cham- keep up the good show. feeling nothing, I can only get competition,” stressed Jonsson. ship 2021 with grit, Qatar pions, Sweden are 2016 Olym- For Sweden, from the 21 on the court and play the best Sweden will be facing a will now face Sweden in the pics gold medalists and 2019 players in Glenn Solberg’s I can,” said the level-headed fighting challenge from Qatar quarter-final at the Cairo Sta- world champs. Egypt 2021 roster, only nine of Swedish playmaker. for sure. In the other quarter- dium Hall on Wednesday at Qatar have been missing them played at the EHF EURO Sweden have had a pleth- final matches,Denmark will 10.30pm Doha Time. many of their top stars yet they 2020, co-hosted by Sweden. ora of transcendent superstars play Egypt in Cairo, France Qatar beat Argentina in have forged a solid unit under This has meant that excit- in their roster, the famous will take on Hungary at Giza, a pulsating match 26-25 on Spanish coach Valero Rivera ing young players like Oskar “Bengan Boys” generation, while Spain will play Norway Qatari back Frankis Marzo shapes up to score against Argentina Monday and the loss of Croatia who after the win against Argen- Sunnefeldt, Felix Claar or who won everything that could in Cairo -- all on Wednesday. during their Men’s Handball Worlds match in Cairo on Monday. Al Sadd rout Muaither 7-0; Al Rayyan edge Markhiya 1-0 TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK against Muaither and Xavi was venge for them after having DOHA pleased with the goalkeeper’s been knocked out by Markhiya show. Xavi pointed out that Al in the quarter-finals last year. AS expected, reigning cham- Sadd is an offensive team are pions Al Sadd proved too good focusing on being that in fu- Al Shahaniya rally to over- for the second division side ture matches. come Gharafa on penalties Muaither whom they romped On facing Al Gharafa in In another match, Al Sha- 7-0 win in the Round of 16 of the quarter-finals, Xavi said, haniya came back from a two- Amir Cup football at the Jas- “The Al Gharafa match in the goal deficit before going down to sim Bin Hamad Stadium on quarter-finals will be like a -fi Al Gharafa in the penalties at the Tuesday to march into the nal. They are one of the three Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium. quarter-finals. best teams in the QNB Star’s Moayad Hassan put Al Despite coach Xavi Hernan- League. They have good play- Gharafa ahead in the 23rd dez opting to rest many of the ers and it will be a difficult minute before Jonathan Kod- regulars, there was too much gap between both the sides. Muaither’s miserable night. match for us. We must prepare jia doubled the lead just ahead quality in the Al Sadd bench for Khoukhi made it 3-0 in the Al Sadd coach Xavi was well before facing them. Our of halftime. Muaither to cope with. 64th minute with a powerful delighted with his side’s aim is to qualify for the final But second division side Al Hashem Ali and Youssef shot from the edge of the pen- comprehensive victory. “We once again.” Shahania fought back with two Abdel Razaq netted a brace alty area. Two minutes later played a good match against goals in the last ten minutes of each, while Boualem Khoukhi, Substitute Muhammad Waad Muaither and continued the Al Rayyan beat the game, both scored by Ibra- Mohamed Waad and Akram found the net after taking ad- trend of winning by huge mar- Al Markhiya 1-0 hima Gaye. Afif scored a goal apiece. Qatar’s ace rally driver Nasser Al Attiyah was honoured by Al Sadd vantage of a Hashem Ali’s pass. gins. The young players put Al Rayyan entered the last The strike first converted In the quarter-finals, Al club officials on the sidelines of Amir Cup match against Muaither at The fifth goal came via on an impressive show. Ba- eight stage after defeating Al a penalty in the 83rd minute Sadd will take on Al Gharafa, the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday. (Pic: Al-Saad Club twitter) Razzaq after a wonderful ex- haa Al Laithi, Hashem Ali and Markhiya 1-0 thanks to Yo- before striking a stunning vol- who edged out Al Shahaniya change of the ball between Youssef Abdel Razzaq were han Boli goal just before half ley in the 90th minute to level via penalties. lead in the 30th minute, with they went into the break with Afif and Tabata.