By Ahmad Al-Rifai MUSCAT, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's beach handball team progressed to the quarter final of the Asian Beach Games on Monday, in spite of losing their last Group A encounter to hosts, Oman, in a tough contest, 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, on day six of the event held at Al-Musannah Sports City.
Kuwait, progress to the knockout stages of the event as second of the group, with four wins out of five, after the hosts who did not lost a single match.
The Omanis battled adament Kuwaiti side to a first half 18-17 win, with the visitors making a brave comeback in the second half, which they clinched 17-12.
With the 1-1 draw of both halves, the two teams headed into an unpredictable penalty shoot-out, which Kuwait unluckily lost out to.
Kuwaiti Team Director Khaled Abdulqadoos told KUNA, that the players presented a performance befitting of the scale of the huge event, especially in the second half.
Cheering home fans had a huge impact on the performance of the Omanis, which put pressure on his side, he added.
He stressed that both teams fully deserve the right to progress to the next round, after both presenting high-level displays.
The team official also said the team had all hopes of making it out of the quarter final in two days' time and winning the tournament.
Separately, the Kuwaiti beach football team made a quick exit of the tournament, losing to Syria, 5-3, in the preliminary round. (end) ayr.sd KUNA 132044 Dec 10NNNN