Live blog: An exciting day has come to an end! And now we know: There will be a new edition of last year’s final of the IHF Men’s Super Globe.  Barça, who are in outstanding form, want to win title number six. SC Magdeburg, on the other hand, want to defend their title and win the eighth match in a row. Kielce will be looking to get the frustration of today`s game off their chest in the third-place match, while Al-Ahly will be looking to claim that spot with the support of their fans.  

Espérance de Tunis will play Khaleej for fifth place tomorrow. SL Benfica and Handebol Clube Taubaté will fight for seventh place. Mudhar face Al-Kuwait SC, while Sydney-Uni and Club Ministros will each be hoping for their first win.

 

Today’s games:

• 09:30 AST Sydney-Uni (AUS) vs Mudhar (KSA) 26:29 (13:14)
• 11:30 AST Al-Kuwait SC (KUW) vs Club Ministros (MEX) 41:26 (18:12)
• 13:30 AST Khaleej (KSA) vs SL Benfica (POR) 35:32 (15:16)
• 15:30 AST Handebol Clube Taubaté (BRA) vs Espérance de Tunis (TUN) 33:35 a.p. (31:31, 14:18)
• 18:00 AST SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Al-Ahly SC (EGY) 36:28 (18:17)
• 20:30 AST Lomza Industria Kielce (POL) vs Barça (ESP) 28:39 (11:16)

 

22:10 AST See you tomorrow!

That’s a job done on Day 5 of the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe! We know the two finalists, who will be facing off tomorrow at 20:30 AST. And it’s a final between last year’s finalists, basically a rematch between Barça and Magdeburg! We can’t wait for that. But for now, this is the live blog done and dusted.

 

21:59 AST Full-time: Lomza Industria Kielce vs Barça 28:39 (11:16)

This looked to be the most exciting game in the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe on paper, but it did not turn out that way on the court. And it all had to do with Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, who finished the match with 18 saves, but his performance in the first half was absolutely immense, totally frustrating Kielce. It may sound strange, but whenever a team finds a goalkeeper so difficult to beat, it is impossible to win. When Perez de Vargas, the most obvious `hummel Player of the Match` award recipient in this edition of the competition, duly got into the Kielce’s players heads, it was game over for the Polish side.

It is surely difficult for Kielce to pick themselves up and try and do something, but it is the second time they lost a semi-final at the IHF Men’s Super Globe, after 2016, while Barça qualified for the final for the seventh time, with them winning five titles until now, being the most decorated team in the history of the competition. Antonio Carlos Ortega will surely want his team to be rested, and he constantly changed players in the second half, but despite that, the gap ballooned and the game finished with the Spanish side taking a 39:28 win.

Therefore, we have the final of the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe – Barça vs SC Magdeburg – a rematch of the last edition’s one when Magdeburg surprised everybody and took a 33:28 win. This time, Barça will be again favoured, as their handball has been spectacular, scoring 126 goals in three games.

 

 

21:33 AST Barça set 12-goal lead

It seems that nothing is working for Kielce, as Arkadiusz Moryto, one of the best penalty-takers in men’s handball, missed one by shooting over the bar, being totally dominated by Perez de Vargas. The Polish side found themselves down seven goals, 22:15, after 37 minutes, with the Spanish goalkeeper extending his amazing streak during the game with six one-on-one saves against his opponents. It is getting clearer that Barça will win in this game, as they have been totally dominating. Surprisingly, the match was not a shoot-out like expected, but the Spanish side really deserve to be ahead.

The question is how much Kielce can do in this game to prevent a painful loss, with the gap shooting up to 12 goals, 28:16, with 13 minutes to go in this match. The game is as good as done, as there is simply no possible way for Barça to lose this with the amount of experience and depth they have. However, for the Polish side, it is an actual wake-up call, despite losing one game against Barça this season, 28:32, in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League.

 

21:04 AST Half-time: Lomza Industria Kielce vs Barça 11:16

Did you think Perez de Vargas was going to stop? No, he did not. The Spanish goalkeeper is having one of the best matches of his career – sure, it might sound like overreacting – but just look at the numbers: he posted a 65% saving efficiency until Kielce took a timeout in the 21st minute, with 13 saves out of the 20 shots he faced. By that time, Barça already had a 12:7 lead, as Kielce were lagging behind more and more, with their attack totally stopped in their tracks.

And exactly when the Polish side looked to be gaining more momentum, Perez de Vargas appeared again, saving a one-on-one shot during a fast break from Alex Dujshebaev, which could have brought Kielce at only two goals behind Barça. Instead, the reigning EHF Champions League Men winners opened a five-goal gap at the break, 16:11, as Kielce will need serious improvement in the second half to take something out of this game. By the way, Perez de Vargas saved 16 shots for 61%. That’s your gap there.

 

 

20:46 AST Perez de Vargas steals the show with outstanding start

It’s been the Gonzalo Perez de Vargas show, and we are all watching it. The Spanish shot-stopper started the match with six saves in nine minutes for an outstanding 66% saving efficiency, propelling Barça to a 7:4 lead. But both attacks, who were firing from all cylinders in the preliminary round, scoring 87 and 86 goals, respectively, are having issues facing the defences ahead of them. Sure, Perez de Vargas was amazing, but his defence helped. On the other hand, Andreas Wolff saved four shots in that time, making this a battle of the goalkeepers.

Talant Dujshebaev is definitely not afraid to call out his players and make them work harder, as this is surely difficult for himself and his side, which is used to put amazing numbers on the scoreboard, as a high-octane, free-flowing attack. Their efficiency was only 25% by the 12th minute when Perez de Vargas improved the number of saves to 10. Yes, 10 in only 12 minutes! What a crazy start to the game!

 

19:29 AST Full-time: SC Magdeburg vs Al-Ahly SC 36:28 (18:17)

Since entering the court late in the first half, goalkeeper Mike Jensen has been superb for Magdeburg, posting six saves until the 47th minute, with his efficiency soaring to 50%. That translated to only five goals scored by Ahly in the first 18 minutes of the second, as the reigning champions jumped to a 12:5 run to start the second half that was decisive, unassailable, with Ahly failing to really get something from this match.

Finally, for the first time in this tournament, Magdeburg looked like a well-oiled machine, on both sides of the ball, especially in attack, where they also had in-flight shots converted, with Ahly’s defence collapsing. Credit, though, to the amazing Ahly fan support, with the fans chanting, cheering and supporting their side throughout the whole match and even in the most difficult moments. But they could not stop players like Omar Ingi Magnusson, who was the `hummel Player of the Match`, with eight goals scored, leaving the court disappointed.

With a 36:28 win, Magdeburg made it to the final of the IHF Men’s Super Globe for the second time in a row, becoming the third team to do so, after Fuchse Berlin and Barca. With a win, they could become the fourth team to secure multiple titles, but there is still a long way to go until that moment.

 

 

19:09 AST Ahly in trouble after red card for Eissa

Eslam Eissa, Ahly’s top scorer in the match, received a red card for a blow to the face applied to Gisli Kristjansson. He had previously scored five goals for the Egyptian side, who are now facing a difficult prospect, as Eissa was integrant both in attack and in defence for Ahly. And if answers needed to come immediately, Magdeburg just pounced and took advantage, creating a five-goal gap, 24:19. It came on the back of a 3:0 run that prompted a timeout from the Egyptian side. They were in dire need of adapting, especially in attack, as another suspension for Ahmed Khairy came quickly.

The German side are heading for the second consecutive final, a feature only achieved by Barca and Fuchse Berlin in history. And this would be their seventh win in a row at the IHF Men’s Super Globe, a superb feature for Magdeburg, whose last two seasons have been nothing short of amazing. With 15 minutes to go, the German side is leading 29:22, as Ahly are trying everything in their power to stop the rut, even creating a 4-2 ultra-aggressive defensive system.

 

18:34 AST Half-time: SC Magdeburg vs Al-Ahly SC 18:17

Well, we expected a taming of the attacks, but that did not come in the first half. Maybe in the second one. But this is a truly entertaining game: an emotional roller-coaster. Al-Ahly SC are just applying the same recipe they did with SL Benfica in their win, 29:28, from the preliminary round. The Egyptian side is staying close enough to their opponents, constantly frustrating them and waiting to pounce, with their attack delivering the goods via impressive breakthroughs from their backs. This is undoubtedly a callous game for the German side, as coach Bennet Wiegert did not have much diversity in his attack.

Only six players scored in the match, with right back Omar Ingi Magnusson and right wing Tim Hornke dominating on that side of the court, with the two combining for 11 goals. But Magdeburg’s defence, and especially their goalkeeping, was the weak point of the team, as Nikola Portner saved only two shots in the first 30 minutes. On the other side, Ahly was nothing short of superb, providing excellent spirit in defence to keep the gap afloat, 18:17, at the break. Will history repeat itself from the match against SL Benfica?

 

 

18:17 AST Magdeburg start to dominate

Al-Ahly SC needed time to settle into the game, as Magdeburg’s powerful attack, especially the back line, duly delivered in the first four minutes, scoring five goals. But the gap was not huge, and with two goals from right back Mohsen Mahmoud, Ahly tied the game, 5:5, after only seven minutes. The Egyptian side has no issues creating chances to score and converting them without problems, but so does Magdeburg. However, this does not feel exactly like a game in which a record number of goals will be scored, rather than one where defences will make a stand at one point.

Right now, it looks like Magdeburg are the team that can do that, as they managed to stop a bit Ahly’s attack. And with Omar Ingi Magnusson, the EHF EURO 2022 top scorer, getting back in form, scoring three times, the German side opened their first three-goal gap, 10:7, after 14 minutes. Can they keep it up? They were tested against Khaleej two days ago, and the atmosphere in the Dammam Sports Hall is top-notch, with the Egyptian fans creating some superb moments.

 

17:04 AST Full-time: Handebol Taubaté vs Esperance de Tunis 33:35 a.p. (31:31, 14:18)

It’s over, and Esperance are heading to the Placement Match 5/6. The Tunisian side kept their nerves cool, Mohamed Sfar saved two penalties, and Esperance converted all their shots. They win, 35:33, and head to the next match, where they face Khaleej. Taubate will now play against Benfica, in the Placement Match 7/8.

 

16:58 AST It’s a draw

It was not for the lack of trying on Taubate’s part, as the Brazilian side did everything right and really stopped the impetus in Esperance’s attack in the second part. And Maik Ferreira dos Santos delivered a superb performance – 14 saves for a 45% saving efficiency – to put a dent into the Tunisian’s side challenge. Just like that, Taubate were back level, 28:28, with only five minutes to go in the match, them being the side with all the momentum.

Sure enough, the Brazilian side took the initiative, and Ferreira dos Santos saved another powerful shot with 30 seconds to go. But Taubate could not finish their attack, Esperance finished a fast breakthrough Mohamed Ali Bahr and the game ended in a draw, 31:31. So we will be heading to penalties to decide the winner.

 

 

16:36 AST Taubate do not back down

Esperance used their excellent defence to produce more fast breaks, which helped the Tunisian side build a five-goal lead, promptly having Taubate call a timeout to put more order into their attack. It also prompted a change in defence, where the Brazilian side switched from the conservative 6-0 to a more aggressive 5-1. Still, Esperance always found ways to break through, especially as Taubate were awarded a two-minute suspension that thwarted their plans.

Entering the fray in the second half, left wing Oussama Boughanmi was flawless in attack. He scored four goals from four shots, as Esperance kept their lead from the break intact, entering the last 15 minutes of the game with the same gap, four goals, 26:22. But Taubate will not back down. We will have a very exciting end to the game.

 

16:04 AST Half-time: Handebol Taubaté vs Esperance de Tunis 14:18

In a tough battle with Niklas Landin, Mohamed Sfar was named the All-Star goalkeeper of the 2009 IHF Men’s Youth World Championship. And he is now delivering a superb performance between the goalposts of Esperance de Tunis, stopping six shots for a 33% saving efficiency. He was one of the reasons the African side is ahead at the break, with plenty of those saves morphing into fast breaks, which Esperance converted into goals.

A 3:0 run for Esperance between the 21st and the 25th minutes was the pivotal moment of the half, enabling the African side to have some breathing space, with two of those goals coming from converted fast breaks from right wing Tarak Jallouz. Esperance opened a 14:10 lead at that moment, which they managed to hold until the break, with the Tunisian side finishing the half with another 3:1 run that was prompted by two other fast breaks to enter halftime with an 18:14 lead.

 

 

15:47 AST Taubaté kept alive by superb goalkeeping performance

Esperance had a lively start to the match, and they took an early 4:2 lead. Still, it would have been even greater were it not for some magic from Taubate’s goalkeeper. Maik Ferreira dos Santos had three saves in the first six minutes, including two one-on-one saves, stopping two fast breaks from Esperance. The Tunisian side has been better, but their misses have been truly costly, with Ferreira dos Santos really keeping Taubate in the game.

What the Brazilian side misses, though, is their clear head in attack, where their efficiency has dropped to a meagre 33% after 14 minutes. It is too little for them, a performance that can simply not bring a win. Will they improve in the next minutes? It is a question that will define the match's outcome, as Esperance are leading 7:5.

 

15:05 AST History-making performance from Kaddah

Hassan Kaddah, who will probably be one of the stalwarts of handball in the future, has delivered another amazing performance in the win against Benfica, enshrining his name into the history books in the IHF Men’s Super Globe. He just tied the best-ever scoring performance from a single player in the competition with his 14-goal outing against Benfica, tying Amine Bannour’s 14-goal outing against Sydney-Uni in 2012.

Hassan Kaddah (Khaleej) – 14 vs SL Benfica 2022
Amine Bannour (Mudhar) - 14 vs Sydney-Uni 2012
Amine Bannour (Mudhar) - 13 vs Metodista 2012
Amine Bannour (Al Sadd) - 13 vs Esperance 2014
Ahmed Elahmar (Zamalek) - 13 vs Al Sadd 2010
Anis Mahmoudi (Esperance) - 13 vs PSG 2016
Rafael Lobato (Taubate) - 12 vs Sydney-Uni 2016
Kiril Lazarov (Al Sadd) - 12 vs Al Sadd 2010
Kiril Lazarov (Al Sadd) - 12 vs Zamalek 2010
Kiril Lazarov (Al Sadd) - 12 vs Ciudad Real 2010

 

14:55 AST Full-time: Khaleej vs SL Benfica 35:32 (15:16)

What a match! What a performance! How exceptional is handball! A team that few knew something about before the start of the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, Khaleej, delivered an otherworldly performance against the reigning champions of the EHF European League Men, prompting a considerable atmosphere in the Dammam Sports Hall, where they are acting as hosts. Yes, Khaleej just delivered a huge win and a massive shock in the Super Globe, taking a 35:32 win against SL Benfica, the first-ever win by a Saudi side against a European team.

And it was primarily thanks to the outstanding, flawless, history-making performance of Kaddah, the `hummel Player of the Match`, who was even subjected to a man-to-man defence. Still, he finished the game with 14 goals, tying the best-ever performance from a single player in the history of the IHF Men’s Super Globe. But it was not only Kaddah who shined; it was also Ahmed Elahmar, as the Egyptian pair stood head and shoulders above the other players, combining for 21 goals. Benfica had little to show in attack in the second half, as their defence collapsed and their goalkeepers, two experienced shot-stoppers, could only save three shots between them in the match.

Khaleej proved once again that they are no pushovers, and their performance against Magdeburg, where they lost, but frustrated the reigning champions for 40 minutes, was no coincidence. It was just the product of some fantastic preparation and a very well-thought plan from coach Dimitris Dimitroulias. The Saudi side will feature in the Placement Match 5/6 now, while Benfica, after their second consecutive loss against a non-European side, head to the Placement Match 7/8.

 

 

14:38 AST Otherworldly performance from Kaddah

This game is shaping up to be a battle between Kaddah and Benfica, with the young Egyptian star becoming clinical in the second half as the game progresses. Sure, he looks battered and tired, exactly like in the match against Magdeburg, where cramps affected his performance. But right now, the 2.05m left back is on a 10-goal performance, taking his overall tally in the tournament to 25 goals, jumping on the first place in the top goal scorer standings. He has been unstoppable from the 20th minute onwards, as Benfica are really paying the price in defence, with Kaddah scoring four goals in a row at times.

The Egyptian stalwart, who will be joining Lomza Industria Kielce in the summer of 2023, looks definitely a star in the making. And he has been singlehandedly keeping Khaleej in the game, with the Saudi side using a 5:1 run to take back the lead, 22:21, with 11 minutes to go. It is getting tenser and tenser here, with Kaddah and Elahmar running the show, as Khaleej are leading, 25:23, with 16 minutes to go in the match. Elahmar added five goals in this match, as the two Egyptian backs have been crucial to Khaleej’s challenge.

 

14:04 AST Half-time: Khaleej vs SL Benfica 15:16

Between the 16th and the 24th minutes of the first half, Benfica went on a 4:1 run that turned the game on its head, enabling the Portuguese side to take a 13:11 lead. It was more about Khaleej’s energy reserves dwindling, as the Saudi team failed to produce something in attack, constantly turning the ball over. But Benfica also missed some clear-cut chances that hampered them, with the game still close. Well-defended, Hassan Kaddah still scored five goals in the match, jumping into the second place of the top goal scorer standings, with 20 goals in the competition, but he has been nowhere near his performance from the match against Magdeburg.

On the other side, the EHF European League winners proved their mettle, displaying a better all-around performance than in their loss against Al-Ahly. But at the break, when Benfica are leading 16:15, the game is still open. The question is just how much Khaleej can keep their rhythm. Two days ago, they lost against Magdeburg when their energy resources were depleted in the second half. And with Kaddah, Alsayyad and Elahmar featuring prominently, the question still lingers.

 

 

13:46 AST Another amazing performance by Khaleej

What a stellar start for Khaleej in this match! The Saudi side picked up where they left off against Magdeburg when they truly delivered a superb performance and continued in the same way against Benfica, where they scored five times in the first five minutes, taking a 5:2 early lead. This time, it was not Hassan Kaddah who led the show, rather than a very-well orchestrated performance by Dimitris Dimitroulias’ team, who pulled no punches against a more experienced side in Benfica.

The Portuguese side, whose attack collapsed in the second half against Al-Ahly SC in the final match of the preliminary round, had the same share of issues that plagued them two days ago and found no way to break Khaleej’s defence. But it was also not a good outing for Benfica’s goalkeeper Sergey Hernandez, who failed to stop any of the first nine shots he faced. Yet Benfica’s experience was on display: Chema Rodriguez did not panic to call a time-out, and the Portuguese side tied the game after 14 minutes, 9:9, with Ole Rahmel and Belone Moreira, the right flank of Benfica, each scoring three goals.

 

12:49 AST Al-Kuwait SC vs Club Ministros 41:26 (18:12)

History was written at the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, as Al-Kuwait SC won their first-ever match in the competition, with a dominating display, despite being seriously undermanned, missing three players and having a single goalkeeper on the roster. Their top player, Frankis Carol Marzo, was also handed a long rest in the second half, as the gap ballooned, with the Asian side having another game scheduled tomorrow in the Placement Match 9/10, against Saudi team Mudhar.

Right wing Ali Saleh, who was named the `hummel Player of the Match`, was nothing short of spectacular and is now the top scorer of this edition of the Super Globe, with 24 goals. He added 12 goals to his tally in this match, where he shined in the second half, being truly unstoppable. On the other side, Ministros also secured their highest number of goals scored in a single match in the competition. But their attack indeed dwindled in the second half, with a huge number of turnovers, 19, with Kuwait truly dominating the match and securing a deserved win, 41:26.

The Mexican side will feature in the Placement Match 11/12 against Sydney-Uni tomorrow, as the teams which lost all three matches until now collide, while Al-Kuwait will try to finish on the ninth place but will face a stern challenge from hosts Mudhar.

 

 

12:30 AST Kuwait open big lead to head for first-ever win

Ministros are starting to lose the grip of the game, as Al-Kuwait SC are heading to their first-ever win at the IHF Men’s Super Globe and the first win for any Kuwaiti team since Al-Qadsiya snatched one in 2007. Therefore, a 15-year wait is bound to end today, with the Asian side improving their gap to 12 goals after 43 minutes, 28:16, as Ministros’ attack has failed to provide the same intensity and efficiency as in the first half.

Kuwait’s only goalkeeper on the sheet today, Hasan Safar, has been spectacular, saving both penalties he faced and raking up 11 saves for a 42% saving efficiency. At the same time, in attack, the Asian side scored with 10 different players, with Vuk Lazovic boasting a four-goal tally, with three goals scored in the second half. Frankis Carol Marzo has taken a step back, with other players featuring prominently, as back Ali Saleh is now the top scorer of the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, with 16 goals, four of which came in this game.

 

12:05 AST Half-time: Al-Kuwait SC vs Club Ministros 18:12

Marzo has been playing more as a facilitator than a scorer in this game, with Saif Aladwani taking charge for Al-Kuwait SC, scoring five goals in the match, as resources are really running thin for the Asian side. This is why, probably, Ministros have been keeping the gap under control in this match, as Kuwait’s defence have been displaying trouble as of late in stopping the Mexican side throughout the game. But this is great from Ministros, who are really enjoying themselves in the match, especially as they are on pace to have their best match, attacking-wise, at the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe.

They scored 12 goals in the first half, as they had made 18 goals against Barca and 21 against Esperance de Tunis in the preliminary round. But a late surge from Kuwait opened a bigger gap just before the end of the first half, as Ministros risked everything by deploying a seven-on-six attack, exposing themselves to some easy open goals from the Asian side. Line player Sergio Sanchez Haas has been unstoppable for Ministros in this half, scoring four times, but key misses for the Mexican side really hampered their effort, as they are now down six goals at the break, 18:12.

 

 

11:47 AST Kuwait weather the storm after Ministros’ good start

Al-Kuwait SC are without influential right back Angel Hernandez for this match, as the team’s top scorer, who had 12 goals in the first two matches, is out. And his absence was surely felt in the first minutes of the game, when the Asian side clearly had a share of issues both in defence and in attack with Club Ministros, who delivered the best start of a match at the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, keeping close to Kuwait, with the game tied after seven minutes, 4:4.

Sooner rather than later, though, Kuwait started playing better and better, being more clear-cut in attack, and that was partly thanks to Frankis Carol Marzo, their centre back, the top scorer of the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship. Marzo scored two goals and added two assists, being key for Kuwait’s run that saw the Asian side take a 7:5 lead after nine minutes, which morphed into a 10:6 lead after 15 minutes after Ministros failed to score more than two goals in the last nine minutes.

 

10:59 AST Full-time: Sydney-Uni vs Mudhar 26:29 (13:14)

Left wing Lucas Eisenhuth and Tim Schubiger looked prime to be the true heroes for Sydney-Uni. The former scored seven goals throughout the game, with five coming in the second half. At the same time, Schubiger entered the game in the second half and produced a clinic of performance, saving six shots for a 36% saving efficiency, including two penalties. And just like that, Sydney-Uni looked to deliver a masterclass of performance against Mudhar between, with a 3:0 run that prevented Mudhar from scoring for five minutes and 45 seconds being the key component of them taking a three-goal lead, 26:23.

However, Mudhar bounced back and prevented Sydney-Uni from scoring in the last five minutes and 52 seconds of the match, running away with the win, thanks to a 6:0 partial that turned the game on its head. With Amine Bannour taken into man-to-man coverage, other players needed to step up. Acacio ran the show, scoring three goals and improving his overall tally to eight goals, as Mudhar ran away with the 29:26 win in a superb finish. The Australian side has just failed to secure only their second-ever win at the IHF Men’s Super Globe, after they had previously won against Qatari side Al-Sadd, 21:20. At the same time, Mudhar’s Hassan Aljanabi was named the `hummel Player of the Match`, after scoring five goals from five shots in the match.

This means that Mudhar head to the Placement Match 9/10, while Sydney-Uni play to avoid the last position in the standings against the team which loses the match against Club Ministros and Al-Kuwait SC.

 

 

10:40 AST Anybody’s game with 15 minutes to go

Sydney-Uni have been definetly emulating what they did in the game against Al-Wehda in 2021, trying to stay as close as possible to their opponents and strike at the right moment. So far, at the start of the second half, the Australian side has tied the game three times, but Mudhar have never relinquished the lead, with Hassan Aljanabi scoring two times in quick succession. The tempo is a bit higher than in the first half, with the two teams running and gunning throughout the court in a game that could end in a shootout.

However, Mudhar are the more experienced side here, which could prove worthwhile in the game economy. Amine Bannour has scored 14 goals once and 13 goals two times in games at the Super Globe, and that experience is very difficult to find for Sydney’s players. Yet the Saudi side are still missing key shots in pivotal moments, helping the Australian side a bit here. With 15 minutes to go, it is still anybody’s game, as Mudhar’s players are starting to tire, yet they are still ahead 21:20.

 

10:05 AST Half-time: Sydney-Uni vs Mudhar 13:14

For some minutes, it looked like Mudhar are in total control of the match, even taking a four-goal lead, 12:8, as Bannour and Acacio Filho dominated Sydney-Uni, each scoring four goals. Bannour has now tied Khaleej’s Hassan Kaddah as the player with the highest number of goals at the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe, 15. Still, it did not matter so much for the match, with Sydney-Uni constantly finding ways to frustrate the Saudi side and keeping the score in check, cutting the gap to only two goals, 12:10, with five minutes to go in the first half.

The Australian side truly distributed the ball well and had eight different scorers on the sheet at the break, but the Saudi team are still ahead after 30 minutes, 14:13. Mudhar started the Super Globe with big ambitions, but they faltered throughout the matches, yet they are closing in to secure their first win in the 2022 edition, which will mean they will advance to the Placement Match 9/10. But Sydney-Uni are no pushovers, they are motivated by the prospect of throwing another surprise in the works, and they certainly want to avoid fighting to avoid the last place tomorrow.

 

 

09:48 AST Sydney-Uni start good but fade over the game

Good morning to all of you reading this live blog! It will be a long day in Dammam, with six entertaining matches here, on the penultimate day of competition in the 2022 IHF Men’s Super Globe. We threw it off with a match in the Placement Round 9-12, between Sydney-Uni and hosts Mudhar. It has been a really entertaining match so far, with the Australian side taking the lead three times and even creating a two-goal gap, 4:2, thanks to some excellent defence. But Mudhar bounced back and relied on Brazilian centre back Acacio Marques Moreira Filho to create a 5:0 run that turned the game on its head and saw Mudhar in the lead, 7:4.

Surprisingly enough, their stalwart, Amine Bannour, scored only a single goal in this match in 15 minutes. Therefore everybody expects more from him. But bear in mind that Sydney-Uni are no pushovers, and in 2021 they managed to save a draw against Saudi side Al-Wehda, their first in history in nearly 40 matches at the IHF Men’s Super Globe. So Mudhar are in control, but they need to produce more of the same to keep Sydney in check.

 

09:00 AST Who are the leaders of the individual standings?

We are right at half point of the 2022 IHF Men's Super Globe, with 12 games elapsed and 12 ready to be played. Therefore it is a good moment to talk about some statistics recorded in the preliminary round. The competition's top scorer is Egyptian left back Hassan Kaddah, who features for Khaleej. He scored 15 goals, two more than four other players – Mudhar's Mohab Khallaf, SL Benfica's Ole Rahmel, Al-Ahly's Omar Khaled Hassan, and Ahmed Mesilhy. Another Ahly player, centre back Ahmed Khairi, has dished the highest number of assists, 19.

In terms of goalkeeper saves, two Barça players, Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (23 saves) and Roberto Domenech (22 saves), are leading the standings, followed by Kielce's Mateusz Kornecki (22 saves) and Taubate's Maik Ferreira dos Santos (21 saves). Domenech (55%) and Perez de Vargas (48.9%) are also on the top of the saving efficiency standings.

 

08:30 AST Six eyes are better than four

Before the start of the day, you can read more about the Super Globe and what happened the previous day on our website. The most significant development was a pilot project for referees enforced in the first two days of the competition, with the traditional pairs being replaced by trios.

We sat with the Chairman of the IHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission (PRC), Per Morten Sodal, to discuss this development and what it means for the future of handball. Yo can find the article here.