TEHRAN – Iran failed to book a place at the 2020 IHF Men’s Beach Handball Championships after losing to Qatar on Saturday.

Team Melli lost to the four-time champions 2-0 in the Asian Beach Handball Championship 2019 underway in Weihai, China.

Iran started the campaign on high note, beating Japan 2-0. The Persians also beat Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan but lost to Oman in the event’s quarter-finals.

Iran will face Vietnam on Monday for a third-place playoff.

Twelve teams were distributed into two groups.

Qatar, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Afghanistan, Indonesia and the Philippines were in Group A and Iran, Oman, Thailand, Pakistan, Japan and Saudi Arabia were drawn in Group B.

The competition serves as a qualifier for both the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games in Qatar and the 2020 IHF Men’s Beach Handball Championships to be held in Italy.

 The top two teams will receive a direct ticket to Italy.