Iran handball team defeats Japan in Rio Olympic qualifier
Iran men’s national handball team has registered a glorious victory at the 2015 Asian Qualification Tournament for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, which are scheduled to be held in Brazil next year.
On Wednesday, the Iranian outfit sealed an emphatic win against the Asian powerhouse Japan by four points in a breath-taking and highly spirited match played at the al-Duhail Handball Sports Hall in the Qatari capital city of Doha.
The Samurais got off to a sound start and sought to establish the lead and surge ahead, but Iranians were far too strong for them and were following them neck and neck.
Japan’s handball team eventually took the game to the wire, and snatched a hard-fought and narrow 15-14 victory at the end of the first period.
The Iranian sportsmen did not relinquish after the break, and could finally steal the show and assert themselves as the better team of the qualifying match for the Rio Olympic Games. The Persians finally got past the Samurais 31-27.
The win was the Iranian outfit’s third in a row at the 2015 Asian Qualification Tournament for the Olympics.
Iran earned a comfortable victory over Uzbekistan on Monday, getting past the Central Asian squad 33-18.
On Saturday, the Iranians exhibited an admirable show of skills and strength during a competitive game against the Omani squad, and defeated their opponents 39-31.
Iran men’s national handball team will encounter the strong Qatari side in a stiff competition on Friday.
The 2015 Asian Qualification Tournament for the 2016 Summer Olympics started in Doha, Qatar, on November 14 and will finish on November 27.
Australia, Bahrain, China, Iraq, Kuwait and South Korea are in Group A of the Asian qualifying games.
Iran has been drawn in Group B along with Japan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
The handball tournaments at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be held from August 6 to 21 at the Olympic Training Center.
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