Iran’s U17 Handball Boys Storm into Asian Final, Secure World Championship Spot
Tehran - BORNA - In the semifinal clash held Wednesday evening, the young Iranians delivered a dazzling display of pace, discipline, and cohesion against one of the region’s most established sides. Right from the opening whistle, Iran's national team imposed their game, racing to a 7–1 lead by the 11th minute. The first half ended in stunning fashion at 17–7, leaving the Bahraini side with few answers to Iran’s relentless attack and the brilliant saves of goalkeeper Mehrshad Mansouri.
The dominance carried into the second half as Iran continued to pile on the goals, ultimately closing the game with a resounding 37–19 scoreline. With this emphatic victory, Iran not only earned a spot in the championship final but also guaranteed themselves one of Asia’s two berths at the World Championship.
The final showdown will see Iran face South Korea, who edged Qatar 36–35 in the other semifinal. Notably, Iran already defeated the Koreans 31–25 in the group stage, giving the team confidence heading into Thursday’s decider.
Iran’s journey to the final has been flawless so far. In the group stage, they beat the Maldives, Syria, and South Korea to top Group D. In the second round, they continued their perfect run with victories over Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar, again finishing as group leaders before dispatching Bahrain in the semifinal.
The Asian Championship final will take place on Thursday, September 25, and will crown the continent’s first-ever U17 handball champion.
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