Monday, Nov 21, 2011
Gulf News
Ajman Oman continued their unbeaten run and were joined by Bahrain, Qatar and hosts UAE as likely contenders for the next stage of the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup to be played in New Zealand next year.
Oman, who started off with a 4-0 win against Iraq on Saturday, powered their way to a similar result against Kuwait and then handed out another 4-0 defeat to Bahrain to keep their perfect record in this four-day competition being played at the Ajman Open Beach. Bahrain had no hassle building on their 4-0 win against the UAE on Saturday with a 3-1 result against Qatar yesterday morning. Their only defeat came against Oman.
Hopes alive
Qatar also kept their hopes alive following their opening-day win against Kuwait before going down to Bahrain later in the afternoon yesterday.
However, it was the hosts who upset the Qataris as the UAE combination of Hassan Ahmad and Obaid Abdullah upset Mahmoud Azam and Abdul Aziz Khallouf in three sets.
“We are fully focused on the next two matches against the UAE and Iraq,” Qatar player Tarek Abdul Habib told Gulf News.
“With this unique format where every team plays the other once, we can safely hope to target third place and earn a qualification spot for New Zealand.”
With the two teams now tied 1-1, only a win in both their encounters this morning will assure them a qualifying spot.
“Our loss against Bahrain is behind us and now we need to focus completely on our matches against the UAE and Iraq,” said Qatar 2 player Mahmoud Azam.
By Alaric Gomes?Senior Reporter
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
