Yekaterinburg, Russia: Qatar finished on 18th position at the World Handball Youth Championship after losing to Germany 27:29 in the President’s Cup final yesterday, following another pulsating performance at the global event in Yekaterinburg.
How the 60 minutes between these two sides would play out was an interesting question before the first whistle – but Germany answered it immediately. Moritz Schade got his team started with a fast break, and when left back Marian Michalczik scored a superb back shot in the fifth to put the score at 3:1 Germany were already looking very dominant.
Qatar coach Julian Gomez called the first time-out of the game when Germany led by four (5:1, seventh minute), but it did little to help. Goalkeeper Joel Birlehm was exceptional and Qatar’s shooters were having a lot of trouble getting past him – after 16 minutes Germany led by eight (10:2) and the game looked all but over already.
Qatar’s Mohamed Abdelraouf scored four goals in the period to help his team reach a more respectable score (13:7, 23rd minute), but the first 30 minutes were all Germany and they finished the half with a seven-goal advantage.
When the second period began it was Ahmed Abdelrhem in goal in place of Bozo Subotic, who joined Qatar’s list of 16 ahead of their previous game. Qatar managed a 1:5 run that prompted Germany coach Christian Schwarzer to call a time-out in the 37th (19:16) before his team pulled ahead again.
A spectacular fast break goal from left wing Lucas Mertens (seven goals), put Germany six in front as the match neared its final 15 minutes (23:17). Germany were not on their best game as the clock ticked down, allowing Qatar to come back within two goals, but they held on to the final whistle to win the cup and take 17th place. Qatar failed to enter Eighth Finals after finishing fifth in Group C.
THE PENINSULA
