(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Amine Bannour excelled again as hosts Al Sadd produced a sterling performance to march into the semi-finals of the IHF Super Globe overcoming Sydney University (SUHC) 32-23 in the last Group B match at the Qatar Handball Association Complex yesterday.
With Asian champions El Jaish already in the semi-finals, this year's edition turned out to best event for the hosts. It is for the first time that two Qatari clubs will feature in the last four stage of the tournament.
Al Sadd will meet European champions SG Flensburg Handewitt, while El Jaish will face defending champions FC Barcelona in the other semi-final.
"It's a great achievement from my team as they reached the semi-finals," said Al Sadd coach Mongi Bannani.
"Flensburg are the Europeans champions and we will have to give our best against them," he said, adding that he was satisfied with his team's performance against SUHC.
"We displayed an improved show, our defence was good and the discipline is good too."
Al Sadd, the 2002 champions and the runners-up in 2010, started off aggressively and put the Aussies under pressure.
They proved themselves a better side, both in defence and attack, dominating their opponents in both sessions as they led the first half 18-13. Bannour, who scored 13 goals in a close win against Esperance Tunis, fired five goals in the victory. Husain Al Sayyad and Mario Tomic scored four goals each in the victory.
"SUHC gave us a good fight. The match gave us good preparations for the semi-final," said Al Sadd player Janko Kevic. "The semi-final will be tough and we will have to give 100 percent."
Meanwhile, wild card entrants Al Ahli were handed wooden spoon in Group A by Pan American champions Taubate who clinched their maiden win of the event with a 29-26 victory.
Al Ahli will now face Esperance Tunis in the classification match to avoid bottom finish in the tournament.
Al Ahli's player Ali Yahyia Sayed said Taubate were a better side and they deserved to win.
"Some of our players were not playing due to injuries but Taubate deserved to win. Their goal-keeper performed very well," he said.
Earlier, El Jaish were beaten by SG Flensburg Handewitt in its quest to top Group A.
The contest turned out to be one of the most interesting matches of the tournament and an evenly poised battle at 22-21.
But in the last quarter the European giants picked up pace to seal a 29-24 win. The loss meant that El Jaish will have to meet Group B toppers FC Barcelona in tomorrow's semi-final.
El Jaish's head coach Zoran Kastratovic termed the game against FC Barcelona a tough task.
"Now we have to play against Barcelona in the semi-finals, one of the best teams in the world," said the coach.
"It will be very difficult, but we have a rest day ahead of us to prepare for this game which is a big challenge for us."
FC Barcelona continued their fine run in the tournament to top Group B with their third consecutive win, thrashing Esperance Tunis 37-23. The first half saw a complete mismatch as the reigning champions shattered African champions' dream of reaching the semi-finals, leading the first session 20-10.
The first nine minutes were the best for Tunis when they led 4-2 but after that the Spanish side strengthened their defence and attack to tame their opponents. They relied on counter attacks to turn their deficit into 11-5 lead in just ten minutes. The winners looked complacent in the second half but Tunis failed to pose any threat as the holders sealed a comfortable win.
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