Qatar’s national handball team booked a date today with Germany in the quarter-finals of Rio de Janeiro Olympics after beating Argentina 22-18 in the final game of the group stage.
The win took the Maroon’s tally to five points in fourth place to qualify ahead of Argentina and Tunisia who both were eliminated from the competition. The victory was the second for the team after overcoming Croatia in the opening game. Qatar also drew with Tunisia and lost to France and Denmark.
Qatar were quick to take the lead, creating a 3-0 advantage in five minutes before Argentina scored their first goal thanks to Federico Pizarro on a fast break in the sixth. Matias Schulz made a great save off Qatar right wing Nasreddine Megdich, then followed with another on a fast break from Kamal Aldin Mallash.
Once Argentina warmed up, they were well in the match, though their slow start had cost them a difference they had to work hard to close. Right back Federico Vieyra added the Pan American team’s third goal in the 10th (5-3 for Qatar).
Two consecutive goals for the Asian champions, from Zarko Markovic and Mallash, opened a four-goal lead at 8-4 just after the 15-minute mark, before Argentina answered with two of their own courtesy of Vieyra and Pablo Simonet. The Pan American team moved to a more active defensive system with Sebastien Simonet pushing forward, and he caused a turnover in the 20th that enabled Argentina to come within one on the next attack when Pizarro scored from right wing (7-8).
The distance stayed at a steady one to two goals, with Qatar narrowly in front at 9:8 when the last five minutes of the half began. The Asian side pulled in front by three goals as the period came to an end, and that distance would eventually prove difficult for Argentina to overcome.
Qatar returned stronger from the break, creating a four-goal lead thanks to left back Rafael Capote in the 34th (14-10), before two consecutive goals from Vieyra pulled Argentina to a gap of two at 13-15 with just over 20 minutes left on the clock. Pablo Simonet kept the difference there with a breakthrough goal in the 41st, which took the score to 14-16, but that was where the close contest ended.
Though Argentina certainly had bright moments including great saves from Schulz, Qatar pulled ahead to a firmer advantage at 20-16 as the last 10 minutes began with a goal from right wing Eldar Memisevic, then to a difference of five when Capote struck to put the score at 21-16.
As Qatar goalkeeper Danijel Saric made a save after save, which earned him a rate of 43 percent at the end of the match, Argentina could not find the goal for more than 10 minutes until Federico Fernandez did so in the last minute of the game. After he decreased the deficit to 17-22, Agustin Vidal added another goal to secure the final difference of four, but the comeback was too late and Argentina were forced to settle for a loss at the buzzer.
In the other quarter-final games, Croatia will take on Poland, Slovenia will face Denmark, while hosts Brazil will battle it out with world champions France.