Doha: The 17th edition of the Asian Clubs’ League Championship will kick off here today.
The international handball tournament involving ten clubs from six nations will be played from November 29 to December 8 in two tournament phases, a group stage followed by knockout-rounds.
The opening day of the major tournament of the Asian Handball Federation schedules four top level clashes at Ali Bin Hamad Al-Attiya Sports Hall, two of Preliminary Round Group A and two of Group B.
The Asian Clubs’ League Championship will commence at 13:00 hrs with the Group B clash between Ahli Sidab Club from Oman and Iranian side Manyazom Janob.
The Oman side has had a successful 2014 campaign, winning both the finals of their domestic league as also the Ministry Trophy. The team from Sidab, a small coastal village in Muscat Province, will be looking to build on the recent success of the national team that finished 6th at the 2014 Asian Games, defeating more experienced sides as UAE and Iran in the process. Credited with the recent success of the side is Ahli Sidab’s head coach Khalil Al Maashari, who is considered to be one of the most talented local handball coaches in the country.
Manyazom Janob was founded some years ago in the East of Iran and is powered by a huge mining company - thus the name Manyazom (Magnesium). The owner has made possible a completely new sports hall for the club this year and they are positively looking forward to the tournament. Currently the team boosts three Iranian national team players, who will be part of the team which will play at the 2015 World Championship in Doha.
This match is followed by the entrance of the defending champions of the competition, Qatari side Eljaish Sports Club, who will face their Saudi Arabian opponents from Al Khalij Club at 15:00 hrs in another pairing from Group B.
In Qatar, Eljaish this season not only won their second league title, but also the Emir Cup, making it a memorable double. The Army team also became Asian champions for the first time in their short history – making this year the most successful in their club’s history. The team’s new coaching mastermind is former Macedonian national team coach Zoran Kastratovic, who also led Eljaish to a fourth place finish at the prestigious 2014 Super Globe.
In 1968 Al Khalij took on their recent club name which translates to “The Gulf”. The team was the dominant force in Saudi Handball during the 1980s and 1990s, but later fell a little behind. Still they have an impressive collection of nine league titles (last time 2001), this season they finished second. Al Khalij will make their first appearance in the Asian Clubs’ League Championship since the 2011 edition where they finished fourth, their best result in the competition. They are also two-time winners of the Arab Champions Cup, 2002 and 2007, and four- time runners-up. Al Khalij recently signed Algerian coach Zienaldeen “Zinho” Al Shaghir who led them to the league title in the 1990s.
In the third match of the day, thrown off at 17:00 hrs, Al Qurain Sporting Club from Kuwait will take on the Iranian team Samenalhojaj in the premier Group A game.
The Kuwaiti side was only formed in 2011 but has already risen to a key team on domestic and regional level. Already in their second year they finished as runners-up in the Kuwaiti Cup but could enter the 11th Arab Cup Winners Cup after withdrawal of their fellow countrymen Al Qadisya. They not only reached the final but also managed to win the trophy by defeating Tunisian side AS Teboulba. Al Qurain coach Khaled Gholum took his team for a three-week training camp in Sweden to prepare for this Asian Clubs’ League Championship, and he sure hopes for good results.
With Samenalhojaj the current Super League champions of Iran enter the championship. At the 2013 edition they arrived with high ambitions, but were left disappointed as they finally finished tenth. This year they aim high again with the clear goal to reach the semi-finals despite their tough preliminary round opponents. Samenalhojaj, sponsored by one of the biggest Iranian banks, is coached by Spanish-born Rafael Guijosa. As coach of the Iran national team he led them to the successful 2015 World Championship qualification. But he has resigned for the national team agenda and focuses on Samenalhojaj club only. The team squad includes eight Iranian national team players, who will return to Doha for the 2015 World Championship.
After this match there will be time for the official Opening Ceremony. The final game of the opening day is scheduled for 19:30 hrs when Jordanian Al-Salt Club will take on the second of the three Qatari clubs, Lekhwiya Sports Club, in a Group A duel.
Jordanian handball powerhouse Al-Salt Club look back on a successful season, where they managed to win their fifth consecutive league title this year. Their last appearance at the Asian Club League Championship was in 2009 where they left the group stage without a single win. But the team from the western city of Al Salt were also part of the very first edition of the competition in 1998 and finished fourth, while their local arch-rivals Al Ahli ended up on a second place, the best performance by Jordanian clubs in this competition so far.
The Jordanians opponents are another ambitious team from Qatar. Lekhwiya Sports Club was founded in April 2012, and already in their first season they managed to become league champions as well as winning the QHA Cup. Their second season has been successful but without titles, as they finished third in the league and also lost the cup final after a thrilling penalty shootout. In Doha, Lekhwiya are full of hope for a successful tournament.
Following the opening day, the Preliminary Round is scheduled to be played on four more match days until 4 December, including one rest day after match day three.
The decisive stage of the tournament will commence on 6 December with the final decision on placements 9 and 10 in a direct duel of the two teams finishing their respective groups ranked fifth. The teams ranked third and fourth in their groups enter the Main Round to battle for a good final placement. From a sportive point of view, he highlights of the day will be the two semi-finals.
The Main Round teams will have their placement matches on 7 December, while the Final and the Bronze Final will be carried out on 8 December, the final day of the 17th Asian Clubs’ League Championship.
The tournament winners will gain qualification for the 2015 IHF Super Globe as Asian representatives.
The Asian Clubs’ League Championship will also serve as test event for
the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship which is to be played 15
January to 1 February 2015 in Doha
The Peninsula
