Al-Sadd Sports Club vs. Sydney University HC 32:23(18:13)

The door was open for Al-Sadd and the team from Qatar entered it. Al-Sadd qualified for the semi-final after a clearl 32:23-victory against underdog Sydney. From the very beginning on the host dominated the match. Already after the first 15 minutes the team of coach Mongi Bananni made a lot of easy fast-break goals. Sydney fought brave but without a realistic chance to bring the favourite in trouble. And the match stayed the same after the break. Al-Sadd was the better team with more power, more individual possibilities and the better physical strength. Nevertheless the team from down under performed with moral and was a good competitor until the end of the match. Finally Al-Sadd celebrated the victory and the qualification for the round of the best four teams.

Mongi Bananni (coach from Al-Sadd): It was not an easy match. Sydney played with discipline, courage, enthusiasm. Finally I am very happy to reached the semi-final.

Janko Kevic (player from Al-Sadd): We had to play with 100%. Congratulations to my team. We prepared very hard the last months and the round of the best four is the result.

Philipp Enders (coach from Sydney Uni): The first minutes were a shame. We didn’t have a good day. Three matches on three days without break are too much for my team. We trained twice a week; some of our competitors twice a day. But now we have a rest day and we will come back as good as today.

 

Rainer Winkler (goalkeeper from Sydney Uni): It is always very tough to go back with five or six goals after ten minutes. So this match was early decided. The tournament shows that we can play on a good level for 30 or perhaps 45 minutes. Today we played on a normal level for 15 minutes.

 

Semi-finals:

Al Sadd Sports Club (QAT) vs. SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

FC Barcelona (ESP) vs. El Jaish Sports Club (QAT)

 

Placement matches:

Al Ahli Sports Club (QAT) vs. Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN)

Handebol Taubaté (BRA) vs. Sydney University HC (AUS)