Iran's Naft-o-Gaz Gachsaran handball team has sustained its first loss at the preliminary round of the 2017 Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship in India.
On Monday, the Iranian squad went down to al-Duhail of Qatar 29-36 in its opening Group A match at the Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.
The Iranian sportsmen will take on counterparts from Sharjah Club in their second encounter of the tournament on Thursday.
The 2017 Asian Club League Handball Championship kicked off on November 20, and will conclude on November 30.
Iran’s Naft-o-Gaz Gachsaran handball club is pitted against Qatari al-Duhail Club, Sharjah Club of the United Arab Emirates and Omani Muscat Club in Group A.
Indian Club India, al-Ahli Club of Qatar, Uzbekistan’s RKOR Club, Bahraini al-Najma Club and al-Shurta Club of Iraq are drawn in Group B.
The winner of the championship will qualify for the 2018 International Handball Federation (IHF) Super Globe.