Al Najma take regional honours

Bahrain’s Al Najma won their second piece of silverware in five days last week after being crowned champions of the 2020/21 Bahrain-UAE Men’s Handball Super Cup following their victory over host team Sharjah Club 27:25 (13:12) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city on Saturday (25 September).

The event sees the winners of the Bahrain and UAE Super Cups face off for regional supremacy. Sharjah qualified in early September while Al Najma ensured their ticket at the end of the month. 

Al Najma have dominated the Bahrain-UAE Men’s Handball Super Cup since its launch in 2017, winning three of the four titles, with Sharjah Club winning one. The 2021 edition saw fans attend, with 40% of the arena capacity used, along with precautionary and preventive measures in place, while those in attendance had to present a negative PCR test within the previous 48 hours upon entrance.

The trophy for Al Najma side highlights their dominance, which saw them also claim the Bahrain league and cup double.

Sharjah had led by four (11:7) inside the first 20 minutes, but Najma shut them out for the remainder of the half, drawing level (11:11) and then taking take a 13:12 lead into the half-time break. The match stayed tight until the last five minutes (19:19 - 45th minute, 23:23 - 50th minute), but Najma stepped up, going two clear to grab the trophy.

“The Emirati-Bahraini sports cooperation reflects the depth of the strong relationship between the two peoples,” said Mohammed Al-Hussan, member of the Board of Directors of the Club and Chairman of the Collective Games Committee of the Sharjah Club to local media. “Sharjah's participation in this distinguished event comes within the framework of the club's keenness to stretch bridges, cooperation and partnership in all fields of sport between the two countries.”

Previous editions

2017 (Bahrain):    Al Najma vs Sharjah 23:18
2018 (UAE):    Sharjah vs Al Najma 19:27
2019 (Bahrain):    Al Najma vs Sharjah 26:27

Photo: UAE Handball Federation