Oman youth handball team looks to bounce back

Oman's national youth handball team will look to bounce back against Hong Kong today after suffering a 40-27 defeat to Saudi Arabia in its opening match of the 19th Asian Men's Youth Handball Championship on Tuesday.

The tournament, being held in Chuzhou, China, serves as the Asian qualification event for the 2027 IHF Men's Youth World Championship in North Macedonia.

Despite the opening setback, the Omani side produced a much-improved second-half performance, displaying greater defensive discipline and attacking efficiency. The encouraging display after the break provided valuable technical positives that the coaching staff hopes to build upon as the team continues its campaign.

Saudi Arabia made a strong start, scoring the opening goal before imposing its fast-paced style during the early stages. Oman attempted to respond through organised attacking moves, but the Saudi defence successfully disrupted several promising opportunities.

As the match gathered momentum, both teams exchanged goals in an entertaining contest. Mohammed Al Maimani, Saeed Al Hassani and Mamoon Al Hassani emerged as Oman’s main attacking threats, while the defensive unit worked tirelessly to contain one of Asia's strongest youth teams.

Saudi Arabia gradually capitalised on its international experience and widened the gap throughout the opening half, taking a 23-9 lead into the interval. The scoreline did not fully reflect Oman's effort, particularly after the team's long journey to China shortly before the tournament began.

Oman returned for the second half with renewed determination and greater composure. The team scored early after the restart, gaining confidence as it began producing a series of organised attacks and converting opportunities more consistently.

The Omani players showed noticeable improvement in both defence and attack, with quicker defensive transitions and more varied offensive options. They continued to fight until the final whistle, demonstrating resilience and a competitive spirit despite facing one of the continent's leading teams.

The improved second-half display was viewed positively by the technical staff, who highlighted the team's ability to recover mentally and tactically after a difficult first period. Saudi Arabia eventually secured a 40-27 victory, but Oman left the court with valuable lessons ahead of the remaining group-stage matches.

Amir Saif Abdullah Al Dughishi, Oman Handball Association board member, national teams supervisor and head of delegation, said the opening match unfolded as expected against one of Asia's strongest teams.

'We knew Saudi Arabia would be one of the toughest opponents in the group,' Al Dughishi said. 'The long journey and our late arrival affected the players' concentration in the opening half. However, the team responded brilliantly after the break and showed real character.'

He praised the players' reaction during the second half, noting that Oman scored 20 goals while improving significantly in defence, attack and goalkeeping.

'The second-half performance gives us confidence. We have already turned our full attention to the Hong Kong match, and we believe it can mark the real beginning of our campaign after learning valuable lessons from the opener.'

Oman player Bashar Al Wahaibi admitted the result was disappointing but stressed that the team had gained important experience.

'We hoped for a better start, but these matches provide valuable lessons for young players,' he said. 'The tournament has only just begun, and we are determined to correct our mistakes and deliver the performance our supporters expect.'

Left back Saeed Mohammed Saeed Al Hassani said the team struggled to settle during the early stages of the match.

'We found it difficult to adapt to the pace of the game in the first half,' he said. 'Fortunately, we corrected many of our mistakes after the interval and produced a much better performance. We now look ahead with confidence and aim to bounce back against Hong Kong.'

Right back Mohammed Al Hassani described the Saudi side as a formidable opponent featuring players with significant international experience.

'They punished our mistakes in the first half and built a decisive advantage,' he said. 'Although we improved considerably after the break, time was not on our side. Our focus is now entirely on the upcoming matches.'

Head coach Kamel Hdidar acknowledged that Oman failed to perform to its expected standard before halftime despite extensive preparations.

'We were not mentally ready at the start of the match,' Hdidar said. 'Although we prepared thoroughly through training sessions and video analysis, individual mistakes and a lack of concentration affected our performance, while our goalkeepers also struggled in the opening half.'

The Tunisian coach was encouraged by the team's response after the interval.

'The players entered the second half with a different attitude and delivered a much stronger performance. That gives us positive indicators for the matches ahead. We respect Saudi Arabia's quality, but our objective now is to recover quickly and prepare well for Hong Kong.'

Oman will continue its Asian Championship campaign today when it faces Hong Kong in a match that could prove pivotal to the team's hopes of advancing to the second round and keeping alive its qualification ambitions for the 2027 IHF Men's Youth World Championship in North Macedonia.