Qatar’s spikers held their nerve during crucial moments to edge Kazakhstan in three straight but tense sets to record their second consecutive win at the Asian Games yesterday.

Two days after powering their way past Chinese Taipei, Qatar encountered stiff opposition from the Kazakhs before clinching a 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 victory in their Group A preliminary to book a spot in the quarter-finals.

Many times during the match the Kazakhs tested the Qataris by clawing back from several points down. But they lost steam and handed back the initiative to Qatar just when they should have gone for the kill.

“The match could have gone either way but I am glad we came through in straight sets. It would have been a tricky affair had the match gone into five sets,” Qatar coach Juan Cichello said.

“We need to be stay positive throughout as the competition is getting tougher if today’s match is any indication. I wanted to try out most of the players in the squad and rotated them, especially in the third set,” the
Argentinian added.

Cichello said it was a big relief for Qatar to have made the last eight with one match remaining.

“It’s a great advantage especially in our case, because our third match in the group stage is against hosts South Korea who are always a dangerous side,” the Argentine analysed.

Both sides started strongly and matched each other spike for spike during the first 10 minutes before Qatar pulled away to a 10-6 lead. The Kazakhs, however, were not disheartened and kept pegging away to get closer.

Qatar stayed in front for most part of the set, albeit only marginally, but with Vitaliy Vorivodin serving well, the Kazakhs levelled at 22-22 and went ahead through a smash from Nodirkhan Kadirkhanov.

However, a couple of minutes later, Kadirkhanov undid his good work by sending a serve wide which helped Qatar take a 24-23 lead, and Nadir Sadikh finished off the set with a powerful smash.

Qatar served notice at the start of the second set with a deadly spike from Mohamed Jumah setting them on their way. A moment later, Ibrahim Ibrahim put Qatar 2-0 ahead with a brilliant block and then Sadikh gave them a comfortable cushion with a hit from the centre of the court.

The lead, however, vanished in a jiffy as Kazakhstan came back strongly to catch up, and aided by a few defensive errors from Qatar, the Central Asians went ahead 5-4, for the first time during the set.

It was at this stage that John Chigbo began to make his presence felt.

The well-built Chigbo unleashed a lethal spike from the centre of the court to level the scores, and after pumping his fists and letting out a celebratory roar, went on to further torment the Kazakhs.

Clearly enjoying the challenge, Chigbo rattled the Kazakhstan defence with another smash, and when Kanat Gabdulin served long, Qatar once again went ahead by three points (10-7). They progressed to further consolidate their position with a 16-10 advantage.

However, the complacency in Qatar’s ranks showed up for the umpteenth time during the match and a couple of poor serves and lacklustre defending allowed Kazakhstan to inch dangerously close.

Leading 22-21, Jumah blasted a searing smash to give Qatar a two-point advantage, but Ali Bairami ruined the good work by serving long.

However, with the scores at 23-22, Sadikh came to Qatar’s aid with a brilliant smash and a fine block by John helped them seal the set.

The Kazakhs raced to a 3-0 lead with their first service in the third set before Qatar bounced back thanks to the efforts of Mubarak Hammad and Jumah. However both sides failed to produce that extra bit of effort needed to feel comfortable as they went neck and neck. At 22-21 in Qatar’s favour, Kazakhstan still felt they could take the game to a fourth set, but at this stage Hammad came up with perhaps his best shot of the match in the shape of a powerful angled hit from the edge of the court to put his side 23-21 ahead.

Renan Ribeiro then put Qatar on match point and a few seconds later a great block by Hammad sealed the win for his side.

Sadikh had a whopping 13 spikes for Qatar, while John, Jumah and Hammad had eight each. Ibrahim Ibrahim once again excelled in an all-round role with six spikes and six blocks to his credit.

 

 

 

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