Day two of Group H action at the Arena Zagreb saw defending African champions Egypt continue their winning momentum in Handball, overcoming Bahrain 24-35 to make it two victories from as many games in the Croatian capital.
Despite a determined effort from Bahrain, Egypt’s superior attack and solid defense proved too much as they maintained control throughout the 60 minutes.
Both teams made one change to their starting line-ups ahead of the match. Egypt’s coach Juan Carlos Pastor brought in debutant centre-back Seif Hany in place of left-back Abdelrahman Abdou.
On the Bahrain side, coach Aron Kristjansson was forced to make a change after line player Abdulla Alzaimoor was ruled out due to injury, with Sayed Mahmood Alfalahi stepping in.
The opening moments of the match were evenly contested, but Egypt quickly took charge, with Ahmed Adel putting them 3-2 ahead after five minutes.
From there, the Egyptian side accelerated, with Yahia Omar scoring a fast-break goal to push the lead to 6-2 two minutes later.
Bahrain struggled to keep pace, and by the 14th minute, Egypt had stretched their lead to five goals, thanks to solid goalkeeping from Karim Hendawy. The 36-year-old Egypt keeper was instrumental in the first half, finishing with eight saves at 42% effectiveness.
As the match continued, Egypt’s dominance in defense kept Bahrain at bay. Their attack, led by Ramadan and Adel, continued to press the advantage, extending the gap to seven goals (16-9) just before halftime.
Bahrain’s defense, while strong at times, couldn’t contain Egypt’s fast-paced game, and they struggled to break through the Egyptian defense, which was well-organized and difficult to breach.
A brief burst of energy from Bahrain just before the break saw them reduce the deficit to five goals (16-11), but Egypt maintained their control with calm, composed play in the second half.
Bahrain’s errors and technical mistakes piled up, allowing Egypt to further extend their lead. At one point, Kristjansson, visibly frustrated, tore off his accreditation after another mistake from his team.
One of the standout moments for Egypt came with the debut of Seif Hany. Having missed Egypt’s opening win against Argentina, Hany was introduced in the final quarter of the game.
The 2019 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship winner wasted no time, scoring within three seconds of stepping onto the court. His quick impact showed why Pastor had called for a faster attacking game, and Hany, along with his teammates, responded emphatically.
Egypt’s defensive effort was also a key factor in the win. Hendawy’s saves and the overall defensive cohesion made it difficult for Bahrain to find any rhythm in their attack.
The Egyptians displayed a well-rounded performance, efficiently balancing offense and defense to maintain their lead and close out the match.
Mohsen Ramadan, who was pivotal throughout the game, was named the hummel Player of the Match for his all-around performance, contributing significantly both in attack and defense.
Looking ahead, Bahrain will face Argentina on Sunday, January 19, while Egypt will meet co-hosts Croatia in a highly anticipated encounter.
With two wins from two, Egypt have firmly positioned themselves as contenders in Group H, with strong performances that highlight both their attacking prowess and defensive solidity.