Barkan meets Al Ahly Egyptian in the World Handball Cup today

Yaqoub Al-Awadi

Barkan will face Egyptian club Al Ahly, hosts of the current IHF Men’s Club World Championship being held in Cairo, in their Group B match at 8 p.m. today in the second round. Also today, American side Los Angeles will play Australian side Sydney, Brazilian side Pinheiros will face Moroccan side Forum de la Kasbah, Egyptian side Zamalek will take on Spanish side Barcelona, and Hungarian side Veszprém will meet German side Füchse Berlin.

The results of the first round, played the day before yesterday, saw Los Angeles defeat Sydney 23-17, Zamalek beat Forum de la Kasbah 42-18, Barcelona triumph over Pinheiros 44-33, and Veszprém edge Al Ahly 31-23.

Barkan lost their opening match against German side Füchse Berlin 18-38, and they aim to learn from that defeat, correct the errors displayed, and deliver a different performance against Al Ahly, seeking a positive result that will bolster their chances in the competition.

The coaching staff and players are aware of the difficulty of the task against Al Ahly, who are competing on home soil in front of their fans. However, Barkan hopes to present a more cohesive performance, raising their concentration and effectiveness in both attack and defense, with the ambition of securing points from the match or at least achieving a draw.

The clash with Al Ahly represents a new test for Barkan in their first appearance at the Club World Championship, and it also offers an opportunity for Barkan’s players to gain further experience and face a team with a prominent presence on the African and international stages.