Oman fall to Qatar in West Asia semifinals

MUSCAT: Oman’s national volleyball team saw their dream of reaching the final of the West Asian Men’s Championship come to an end after suffering a straight-sets defeat to Qatar in the semifinals. The match was held at the Isa Bin Rashid Hall in Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain. The encounter was marked by clear dominance from the Qatari side, who capitalised on Oman’s errors especially in serving and blocking to claim victory with set scores of 25-18, 25-19, and 25-20.
STRONG START BY QATAR, SCATTERED OMANI RESISTANCE
Qatar began the match with high intensity, setting the tempo both offensively and defensively. With a well-organised block and effective backline coverage, they quickly exposed Oman’s weaknesses, particularly in serve reception and missed serves. Despite individual efforts from Ismail al Haidy, Mahmood al Saadi, and Younis al Amri, the first set went to Qatar 25-18.
In the second set, Oman showed clearer intent to recover and improve.
The introduction of Adam al Juradi injected some energy into the team, helping Oman level the score at 11-11. However, Qatar regained control through cohesive play and effective counterattacks, eventually taking the set 25-19.
The third set began on a relatively even footing, with the score tied at 2-2 before Mohammed al Muqbali put Oman ahead briefly. Yet, a service error from Yousuf al Shukeili allowed Qatar to equalise, and from there they gradually took over, exploiting Oman’s poor receptions. Qatar sealed the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
STATS HIGHLIGHT THE GAP
Match statistics underscored the disparity between the two sides. Qatar scored a total of 75 points to Oman’s 57, committing only 15 errors compared to Oman’s 25. Qatar registered two direct service aces, while Oman failed to record any, and committed 10 service errors compared to Qatar’s six.
In blocking, Qatar recorded 11 points to Oman’s six. Individually, Qatar’s Youssef Jalaf stood out with 14 points (12 from spikes and two from blocks), while Oman’s top scorer, Ismail al Haidy, managed only 11 points and committed five errors.
BAHRAIN BOOK FINAL SPOT
In the other semifinal, Bahrain secured their place in the final with a 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabia. Despite losing the first set 28-26, Bahrain rallied to win the next three sets 25-16, 25-22, and 25-22. They will now face Qatar in the final.
Iranian coach Reza Hossein Vakeeli expressed disappointment with the outcome, stating that the team failed to deliver the expected performance and that both individual and tactical errors cost them a place in the final. Qatar played very well and deserved to win, said Vakeeli. But we made many mistakes, especially in serving and reception.