A player from Al Salam attacks as Qatar's Al Arabi players try to bock the same during their GCC Clubs Championship volleyball match played at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena yesterday. Picture by Kammutty VP/The Peninsula
Saudi’s Al Hilal and Bahrain’s Al Ahli began their campaign in the 36th GCC Clubs Championship on a winning note at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena yesterday.
Al Ahli, which last month won the Arab Clubs Volleyball Championship, breezed past Dar Kulaib 25-20, 17-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-10 while Al Hilal won got the better off Al Ain club of UAE 33-35, 25-13, 25-23, 25-14.
In the tussle for supremacy between the two Bahrain clubs - Al Ahli and Dar Kulaib, the former emerged triumphant in three sets to two to begin their campaign on a rosy note in the seven-team championship which ends on March 17.
Today, defending champions Al Rayyan take on Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
Last year in Oman, Al Rayyan defeated Al Arabi in the all-Qatari clash in the regional championship to annex the title.
Al Rayyan wil looking to put behind the disappointment of finishing third at last month’s Arab Clubs Volleyball Championship.
The former league champions from Qatar, finished third by beating Oman’s Al Salam in play-off.
Rayyan had maintained a clean sheet in the group stage and beat Saudi Arabia’s Al Wahda in the quarter-final before going down to eventual champions Al Ahli in the semi-final.
Seven clubs from the region are vying for the top place in the tournament which will be played on round-robin league system with the team with the maximum points emerging a winner.
