Sharjah SC wrote history and became the first team from the United Arab Emirates to secure the title at the AHF Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship, with a 27:26 win in the final against the reigning champions, Saudi side, Khaleej Club.

Nine teams lined up at the start of the 27th AHF Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship, a qualification event for the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, with the continental competition taking place between 12 and 23 November, in Doha, Qatar.

The teams were divided into two groups, with the first four sides in each group progressing to the quarter-finals and it was Kuwaiti side Al-Kuwait winning Group A, with three wins in three matches, followed by Qatari side Al-Rayyan, Sharjah SC and Bahraini side Al-Shabab.

The champions, Sharjah SC, lost the first match against Al-Kuwait, 29:30, following with yet another loss, 26:28, against Al-Rayyan, before clinching a 35:31 win against Al-Shabab to finish third, four points behind Al-Kuwait and one point behind Al-Rayyan.

In Group B, the reigning champions Khaleej swept their opponents, having the best goal difference in the competition, +44, followed by Sanat Mes Kerman, from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatari side Al-Duhail, Kuwaiti side Kazma SC and Omani side, Ahli Sidab club, which were eliminated.

The first surprise of the quarter-finals was the Kazma SC win in the Kuwaiti derby against Al-Kuwait, 32:25, with another favourite, Sanat Mes Kerman, also being eliminated by Sharjah SC, 35:26, which suddenly found their groove. Khaleej also clinched the semi-finals berths with a 35:20 win against Al-Shabab, while the fourth semi-finalist were Al-Duhail, which beat their Qatari counterparts, Al-Rayyan, 24:23.

In the semi-finals, Sharjah SC had a topsy-turvy performance against Kazma SC, but eventually sealed a 28:27 win in extra-time, while Khaleej downed Al-Duhail with a 23:21 win, setting up a final where they were favoured against Sharjah.

However, Khaleej’s experience meant nothing in the closing stages of the continental competition, after taking a 13:11 lead at the break. Backed by nine goals from experienced back Zarko Markovic, Sharjah SC bounced back, mounted a fantastic comeback and clinched the title with a 27:26 win.

Sharjah SC became the first Emirati team to secure the title at the AHF Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship, after having previously finished third in 2018 and 2019.

Sharjah SC also clinched the berth for the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, becoming the first Emirati side to play in the world club handball flagship competition.

In the bronze medal match, Al-Duhail secured their place on the podium with a 34:24 win against Kazma.

Credit photo: Asian Handball Federation