Fans celebrating Qatar’s win in the Men’s Handball World Championships preliminary round Group A match with Slovenia at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha yesterday. Rafael Capote’s 12 goals helped hosts Qatar pull off a major shock at the championships when they defeated highly-fancied Slovenia 31-29 to virtually assure themselves of a place in the last 16 place. In a pulsating and physical encounter, the Qataris held on in a tense final few minutes, to spark wild celebrations at the end of the game. The victory means Qatar, joined world champions Spain at the top of Group A with three wins out of three, and the tournament’s hosts may now set their ambitions higher than a last 16 berth after defeating a Slovenia team which reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup. The game’s star was Cuban-born  Capote whose tally included a crucial goal with less than two minutes remaining to give Qatar a slender two goal advantage. Capote even outshone Slovenia’s Dragan Gajic, the tournament’s leading scorer coming into this game, but who was restricted to just three this time out.  PICTURE: Jayan Orma