A Kuwaiti player is blocked by opponents as he goes for a shot during the Asian Handball Championship match between Kuwait and Japan.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 24: Kuwait faces a critical “do-or-die” showdown against South Korea today at 6:00 pm at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex, needing a victory to guarantee a spot in the semi-finals of the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship, a qualifier for the 2027 World Championship in Germany. Earlier in the day, Japan faces Iraq at 12:00 in the same group. In Group B, the UAE meets Qatar, while Saudi Arabia clashes with Bahrain.

Results from the second round saw Japan narrowly defeat Kuwait 28–27, South Korea beat Iraq 35–30, Bahrain overcome Qatar 31–28, and Saudi Arabia triumph over the UAE 33–18.

With those outcomes, South Korea tops Group A on goal difference ahead of Japan, both holding three points, while Kuwait sits third with two points, followed by Iraq with none. In Group B, Bahrain leads with four points from two wins, securing a strong position for the semi-finals. Saudi Arabia and Qatar each have two points, while the UAE remains at the bottom without a point, ending its qualification hopes.

Despite Kuwait’s narrow loss to Japan, head coach Icelandic Aron Kristjansson expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. Speaking at the post-match press conference on Saturday, he attributed the defeat to technical mistakes in offense and defense, as well as a high number of player suspensions—12 in total.

Kristjansson emphasized that today’s match against South Korea is equally crucial, noting that the Koreans are among Asia’s strongest teams. He expressed confidence that careful preparation and strong fan support could help Kuwait achieve its goal of advancing to the semi-finals.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff