Bahrain aim for historic main round berth at junior world championship
The 25th edition of the IHF Men's Junior (U21) World Championship gets underway tomorrow (June 18) in Poland, featuring 32 teams from five continents competing across five cities: Katowice, Sosnowiec, Kielce, Płock, and Gdansk. Bahrain's U21 squad begins their campaign in Kielce, where all Group H matches will be played at the Hala Legionów.
Group H Challenge
Bahrain faces a challenging preliminary round in Group H, drawn alongside European giants Spain, African champions Egypt, and regional rivals Saudi Arabia. The team will play three matches in four days.
Only the top two teams from each preliminary group will advance to the main round (June 23–26), where they will be regrouped into four new pools. Results from matches against fellow qualifiers carry over, adding weight to every group stage encounter. Teams that do not advance will enter the President's Cup bracket to determine rankings from 17th to 32nd.
Squad Built on Promise
The Bahrain Handball Federation has named a 16-man squad led by head coach Ali Al Falahi. The full squad includes:
Ali Redha, Abbas Hussain, Mohammed Ayyad, Ahmed Al Fardan, Ali Al Madani, Elyas Mohammed, Maitham Ahmed, Abdulla Sameer, Hussain Shawqi, Sayed Mohammed Ali, Sayed Mahmood Ali, Mahmood Jaleel, Salman Al Showaikh, Mohammed Maitham, Sayed Hussain Fadhel, and Mohammed Shamloh.
Backed by federation president Ali Issa, who addressed the team during a local training session prior to departure, the squad has undergone domestic preparations aimed at sharpening match readiness. They departed Bahrain on June 16 and are now finalizing preparations in Poland ahead of tomorrow's opener.
Nation on the Rise
Bahrain's junior handball team has shown consistent advancement on the world stage, debuting with a joint 17th-place finish in Argentina in 1995. After returning in 2019 following a third-place finish at the 2018 Asian Championship, the squad achieved its best-ever result of 13th place in the 2023 championship held in Germany and Greece.
This upward trend reflects Bahrain's growing maturity in mentally composed players ready to compete beyond the Asian circuit. The 2025 squad aims for a top-12 finish or better. The continuity from youth to senior levels is crucial, especially following the narrow 25–26 loss Bahrain's senior team suffered against Argentina in the 2025 Men's World Championship.
Coaching Vision and Federation Support
Head coach Ali Al Falahi has emphasized a playing philosophy centered on structure, patience in attack, and physical resilience. The Bahrain Handball Federation's direct support, especially from president Ali Issa, highlights a long-term commitment to developing handball in the kingdom.
With strong domestic preparation, federation backing, and a squad of rising talent, Bahrain approaches this year's Junior World Championship with cautious optimism and the belief that a breakthrough to the main round is within reach.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
21 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain fall short against Egypt in U21 World Championship
Bahrain's struggles continued at the IHF Men's U21 World Championship in Poland yesterday, falling 28–19 to a well-drilled Egypt side in Kielce. The result, Bahrain's second defeat in as many games, leaves them without a point heading into their final group fixture against Saudi Arabia. Another slow start proves costly Coming off a bruising 40–19 loss to Spain in the opener, Bahrain approached this match with greater structure and defensive intent. But Egypt's cohesion and physical presence quickly tilted the game in their favour. Bahrain briefly kept within reach in the first half, but Egypt's control of the tempo and cleaner execution in both phases of play allowed them to steadily build a lead. The North Africans moved the ball well through their backcourt and punished turnovers in transition. Bahrain, meanwhile, found chances difficult to come by, with Egypt's defence closing space and forcing long-range efforts. Despite periods of effort and urgency, Bahrain simply lacked the consistency to mount a sustained challenge. All eyes on Saturday With two losses from two, Bahrain now turn their attention to a crucial third group stage match against Saudi Arabia on Saturday (12:45pm Bahrain time). It's a fixture that carries added weight—not only because of regional rivalry, but because a loss would confirm Bahrain's drop into the President's Cup bracket, which ranks teams from 17th to 32nd place. For Ali Al Falahi's team, it's an opportunity to salvage momentum and potentially end the group phase on a positive note. The likes of Ali Redha and Mohammed Ayyad have shown flashes of attacking potential, while Elyas Mohammed and Sayed Mahmood Ali continue to put in work across both ends of the court. But Bahrain will need more from its supporting cast if they are to shift the narrative.
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Dortmund held by Fluminense
AFP | East Rutherford Borussia Dortmund were held to a 0-0 draw by Fluminense at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, as Brazilian teams maintained their unbeaten record so far in the competition. Rio de Janeiro powerhouses Fluminense were the more dangerous team throughout the Group F game played at the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, just outside New York City. However, Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel turned a Jhon Arias shot around the post in the first half, before Matheus Martinelli drilled an effort narrowly wide. Fluminense -- captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva -- were a threat on the break throughout and should have scored at the end of a counter midway into the second half, but Agustin Canobbio shot straight at Kobel. The Dortmund goalkeeper then produced a fine save low down to deny Everaldo as the match ended in stalemate. 'We saw it was a tough game as we expected. Fluminense is a top team, very ball-possession based,' Dortmund coach Niko Kovac told broadcaster DAZN. 'They played very good. We had some difficulties, especially in the first half. In the second half I would say it was better but overall it was a lucky point for us.' Fluminense qualified for the tournament by virtue of their triumph in the Copa Libertadores in 2023. Their performance against a European heavyweight, UEFA Champions League finalists last year, is further evidence that Brazilian teams can hope to make a real impact in FIFA's new-look competition.
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Levy: Postecoglou Sacking Was Painful but Necessary
TDT | Manama Tottenham chairman says decision came despite historic trophy win amid dire league form Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has admitted that sacking Ange Postecoglou just weeks after the Australian led the club to its first major trophy in nearly two decades was "emotionally difficult," but insisted the move was necessary after a dismal league campaign. Postecoglou was dismissed earlier this month, only 16 days after guiding Spurs to a 1-0 Europa League final victory over Manchester United — their first silverware since 2008. Despite the European triumph, Tottenham ended the Premier League season in 17th place, narrowly avoiding relegation in their worst domestic finish since 1977. 'I don't regret appointing Ange. I'm very grateful to him,' Levy said in a club interview released Tuesday. 'In his first season we finished fifth and in his second we were over the moon to win a trophy. But we need to compete in all competitions. Emotionally it was difficult, but we feel that we've made the right decision for the club.' Frank Era Begins at Tottenham Last week, Tottenham appointed former Brentford manager Thomas Frank as Postecoglou's successor — the club's fifth full-time coach in six years, and 13th under Levy's 25-year chairmanship. 'Failure is not an option,' Levy said. 'One of the things that stood out with Thomas was that he is highly intelligent, a great communicator, and a super human being — plus all the technical aspects which are obviously important.' Levy stressed that the goal is to build on last season's cup success and reestablish consistency across competitions. 'Whenever you have a new coach, it's always a fresh start. We want to build on the success of winning a trophy.' While Postecoglou's abrupt dismissal has divided opinion among supporters, Levy's comments reflect a board eager to reset after a turbulent season — even if it meant parting ways with the manager who finally ended the club's trophy drought.
