KUWAIT, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- The host nation Kuwaiti faced Friday a narrow 28-27 defeat against Japan during the main round of the 22nd Asian Men's Handball Championship.
The encounter, played at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex, was a tightly contested affairs from the opening whistle.
Japan managed to establish a one-goal advantage by halftime, leading 15-14. Despite Kuwait's efforts to mount a second-half comeback, Japan's well-organized defense effectively neutralized Kuwait's attacks, allowing them to maintain their minimal lead through to the closing whistle.
After this fixture, Kuwait's tournament tally stood at two points, while Japan's tally rose to three points from two matches.
Kuwait still has one final and decisive remaining match against South Korea next Sunday. A victory in this showdown would secure Kuwait spots both in the 2027 World Cup in Germany and in the Asian Championship semifinals.
Elsewhere in the competition today, Group B action saw Bahrain secure a commanding 31-28 victory over Qatar, while the United Arab Emirates dominated Saudi Arabia with a convincing 33-19 win.
In Group C, Hong Kong defeated the Jordan with a score of (25-21). In Group D, Iran trounced Australia 37-17 and China beat India 36-20. The remaining fixture of the day features South Korea against Iraq in Group A. (end) hms.ibi