Iran handball team sinks Ukraine in second friendly encounter

National Iranian junior handball team has edged past Ukraine in a friendly match, which served as a warm-up fixture for the 2016 Asian Men’s Junior Handball Championship scheduled to be staged in Jordan between late July and early August.

On Monday evening, the Iranian squad overcame the Eastern European side 32-29 at the end of a game played in the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev.

The win was the Iranian outfit’s second against Ukraine following two friendly encounters.

Iran sealed an emphatic win against Ukraine by five-point margin in a spirited match on May 15, and breezed past the European team 28-23.

Junior Iranian handball players have been camping in Ukraine since May 13. They played two friendly matches against Ukraine’s national junior handball team and will put an end to their stay there on May 21.

The young Iranian athletes will later head to Poland, where they will participate in a four-nation tournament.

“Our team featured a better performance through the second match against Iran, and sought to employ more effective techniques vis-à-vis the Asian side,” President of the Handball Federation of the Ukraine (FHU) Andriy Melnyk said after Monday evening’s match.

He added that “the Iranian team enjoys smart and well-organized players. It principally makes use of a clever and professional forward, whom other field players coordinate with. This has helped them to put on stunning shows. Besides, the team is under the tutelage of experienced coaches.”

“Iran was a decent and strong team; and I believe it is threading the right path. I am so pleased that our team played matches against Iran handball squad. We could gain a great experience,” he said.

The 15th edition of Asian Men’s Junior Handball Championship will kick off in Amman, Jordan, on July 22 and conclude on August 1, 2016.

Iran has been drawn alongside Uzbekistan and the hosts in Group A of the forthcoming sports event.

Japan, Palestine and Saudi Arabia form Group B, while Bahrain, India and South Korea, are put in Group C. Group D consists of China, Iraq, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

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