Qatar gear up for tough test against France in World Handball Championship opener

DOHA: Asian handball powerhouse Qatar will face a stern challenge today as they take on defending world champions France in their opening match of the 29th World Handball Championship. The tournament, jointly hosted by Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, runs until February 2.

Qatar, who famously finished as runners-up in the 2015 edition, losing to France 25-22 in the final in Doha, will also face Austria on January 16 and Kuwait on January 18 in the preliminary round of Group Three.

Ahmed al-Shaabi, President of the Qatar Handball Federation (QHF), observed the team’s final preparations on Monday under the guidance of new coach Veselin Vujovic. Khalifa al-Jassim, Director of the Qatar National Teams, acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead but expressed faith in the team.

“Our matches will not be easy, but we trust our players to deliver,” al-Jassim said. “We have prepared well with five friendly matches against Slovenia and Algeria during our training camp in Slovenia. While France is a formidable opponent, we aim to take it one match at a time.”

The Qatari squad, short on experience, remains focused on making a strong start. “The players are confident, and coach Veselin Vujovic will finalize the lineup for today’s game,” al-Jassim added.

As the team embarks on their campaign, Qatar will hope to rekindle the spirit of their historic 2015 performance, starting with what promises to be a thrilling contest against France.(Gulf Times)