Dominant Sharjah beat Maliha, Al Dhaid prevail over Dibba Al Hisn

Sharjah secured a 30–25 victory over Maliha in an entertaining UAE Handball General League encounter played at the Maliha Sports Hall in Sharjah on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams produced a closely contested first half, with neither side able to establish a clear advantage. The score remained level at 15–15 at the interval.

Sharjah came out strongly after the break and gradually built a lead through a more effective second-half performance.

Maliha continued to fight until the final whistle, but Sharjah maintained their advantage to seal a 30–25 win.

The victory marked a strong finish for Sharjah after a tightly fought opening 30 minutes, while Maliha were left to reflect on a competitive performance against their opponents.

Dr. Major Omar Zubair Al Marzouqi officiated the match between Sharjah and Maliha, bringing a wealth of international experience to the domestic fixture.

Omar Zubair Al Marzouqi began his handball career as a player with Al Nasr Club, representing the side from 1984 to 1998 before making the transition into refereeing. He went on to establish himself as one of the region’s most accomplished officials, earning international, Olympic and world-level recognition.

His career marked a significant milestone for Asian handball officiating. Omar Zubair Al Marzouqi became the first Asian referee to officiate at World Championship semi-finals and finals, helping open the door for greater representation of Arab and Asian officials on the international stage.

Over the course of his distinguished career, he has participated in around 60 major international championships. His assignments have included World Championships in Sweden and Spain, World Youth Championships in Egypt and Greece, the Women’s World Championship in South Korea, and Asian Games in Qatar and China.

His Olympic experience includes officiating at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, while he has also taken part in the Confederations Cup in Qatar.

In August 2016, Omar Zubair Al Marzouqi reached another notable milestone when he became the only Asian selected to serve as a technical observer at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. In that role, he oversaw 12 high-profile men’s matches, including a quarter-final and a semi-final.

His continued involvement in domestic competitions reflects not only his enduring contribution to handball but also the experience and expertise he brings to the development of refereeing in the UAE and across the region.

Elsewhere, Al Dhaid defeated Dibba Al Hisn 37-31. The round also featured a closely fought encounter between Al Nasr and Al Wasl, with the two sides sharing the points after a 31-31 draw.

In the junior competition, Al Jazira produced the biggest result of the day, beating Al Dhaid 45-13 at Al Jazira Club Hall.

Kalba also claimed a strong 31-25 victory over Al Wasl, while Shabab Al Ahli defeated Al Dhafra 35-18.

Khorfakkan recorded a 34-21 win over Al Bataeh, while Mleiha and Al Madam played out a 27-27 draw in another closely contested junior fixture.

Sharjah B defeated Al Nasr 28-18, while Sharjah A completed an impressive day for the club with a 39-21 victory over Dibba Al Hisn.