Qatar handball team drub Malaysia 64-11 to begin their Asian Games title defence in style
Qatar got their 2018 Asian Games campaign off to a roaring start in Jakarta as the national handball team, runners-up of the 2015 IHF World Championship, steamrollered Malaysia 64-11 in a Group A match.
Qatar, who had beaten hosts South Korea to win gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, completely outplayed first-timers Malaysia.
Qatar led 33-7 at half-time, with Anis Zouaoui scoring eight of his 18 goals in the first 30 minutes. Abdulrazzaq Murad also reached double figures with 10.
Qatar’s dominance was very clear as they kept a 100 per cent conversion rate to lead 26-6 until Khairul Amirul Abdullah, one of three goalkeepers used by Malaysia, produced their first save of the game in the 24th.
Malaysia were never once in the game and will look to avoid another whitewash in their next game.
نهاية المباراة : فوز منتخبنا الوطني 64 – 11 ماليزيا منافسات كرة اليد بـ #دورة_الالعاب_الاسيوية "جاكرتا 2018" #AsianGames2018 #أدعم_اليد pic.twitter.com/JzNMpkbs35
Qatar captain Abdelrazzak Murad had exuded confidence ahead of the game against Malaysia.
“Our aim is to defend our Asian Games title. We’re fully prepared. We had a 10-day camp in Spain. We also played four friendly matches, against Iran and Lisbon, in Doha, which we won,” he was quoted as saying by Gulf Times.
Iran are the other team in Group A. Group B has South Korea, Japan and Pakistan while Group C consists of Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Group D comprises Bahrain, Chinese Taipei, India and Iraq.
The @QatarHandball team are aiming to win the gold medal at the #AsianGames2018. #YallaQatar, let's show our support for Team Qatar at the #AsianGames. #IAmQatar https://t.co/RunPNZSVjS
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) August 13, 2018
South Korea has won six of the nine gold medals in men’s handball at the Asian Games. Of this, they won five gold medals in a row between 1986 and 2002, and in 2010.
If Qatar manages to retain gold in Jakarta, it will become only the second country to do so, after the South Koreans, reported The Peninsula.
Qatar will field a 222-member team to South Korea, which includes 29 women.
Qatari athletes will take part in Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics, Basketball, Basketball 3x3, Beach Volleyball, Bowling, Boxing, Cycling Track, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Golf, Handball, Karate, Paragliding, Rowing, Sailing, Squash, Swimming, Shooting, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Trampoline Gymnastics, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling.
Although the quadrennial event is set to begin only on August 18, team games like football, handball and basketball will begin earlier in order to give teams adequate rest between matches.
The 2018 Asian Games will continue until September 2.
