Korea Stuns Defending Champions, Secures Quarterfinal Berth at Asian Men’s Handball Championships
Table of Contents
Korea’s men’s handball team delivered a stunning upset on Thursday, defeating defending champions Qatar 32-31 and claiming first place in Group A of the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championships. The victory, secured in a nail-biting finish at Saad Al-Abdullah, Kuwait, guarantees Korea’s advancement to the quarterfinals.
The Korean squad demonstrated resilience throughout the match, overcoming early deficits and a late surge from Qatar. Their performance marks a significant step forward in their quest for a championship title.
A Back-and-Forth Battle in Kuwait
Korea initially surged ahead, establishing a 3-0 lead thanks to early goals from Jang Dong-hyeon of the SK Hawks and Kim Tae-gwan of the Chungnam Provincial Office. However, Qatar quickly responded, taking a 6-5 lead by the 12th minute. The first half remained fiercely competitive, with Korea ultimately trailing 14-12 at the break after conceding goals in the final moments.
The second half witnessed a renewed Korean offensive. Kim Tae-gwan, Kim Rak-chan (Incheon Urban Development Corporation), Kim Yeon-bin (Doosan), and Park Se-woong (SK Hawks) contributed crucial goals, briefly giving Korea a 16-14 advantage. Qatar countered with three consecutive goals, regaining the lead at 20-19, and the teams then battled goal-for-goal.
Dramatic Finish Seals Korean Victory
Trailing by a single goal until the 54th minute, Korea mounted a determined comeback. Consecutive goals from Jin-ho Kim (SK Hawks) and Jin-young Kim (Incheon Urban Development Corporation) flipped the script, putting Korea ahead 29-28. In a dramatic final minute, back-to-back scores from Jin-young Kim and Yu-seong Jin (Sangmu Phoenix) extended the lead to 32-30, ultimately securing a 32-31 victory.
Jang Dong-hyeon led the Korean attack with seven goals, while Kim Jin-young contributed six. Lee Joseph (Incheon City Corporation) and Park Se-woong each added five goals to the tally. The team’s defensive efforts were anchored by goalkeeper Park Jae-yong (Hanam City Hall), who recorded an impressive 12 saves.
Quarterfinal Path Ahead
With their two wins in the preliminary round, Korea finished atop Group A, while Qatar secured second place with a 1-1 record. Oman, unfortunately, lost both of its matches. As a result of their performance, Korea will compete in Group 1 of the main round, facing Iraq (2nd place in Group B), Kuwait (1st place in Group C), and Japan (2nd place in Group D) in their pursuit of a semifinal berth.
.
