KUWAIT CITY, Jan 16: The Kuwaiti handball team faced a defeat against their Qatari counterparts with a score of 20-24 in the third round of the 21st Asian Championship's first group matches hosted by Bahrain.

The first half concluded with Qatar leading Kuwait with a score of 14-8. Despite Kuwait's efforts to exert pressure in the second half and turn the tide, the Qatari team ultimately secured the victory with a final score of 24-20.

In the same group, Chinese Taipei emerged victorious against Oman with a score of 27-33, and China dominated New Zealand with a score of 13-36 in the second group matches. Meanwhile, South Korea and Iran battled it to determine the group champion.

The tournament's main group stage matches are set to commence on Thursday. The Kuwaiti team is slated to face the Bahraini team in the second group, which also features Iraq, and the top team from the second group, either South Korea or Iran.

The first group comprises Japan, Qatar, and the Emirates, while the second group comprises South Korea or Iran. The top four teams from these groups will secure a spot in the finals of the World Handball Championship, scheduled to take place in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway from January 14 to February 2, 2025.

The draw for the Martyr Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Cup assigned China Taipei, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia to the third group. Simultaneously, the fourth group includes India, Kazakhstan, Oman, and China, with their competitions kicking off on Thursday as well.