USA vs Bahrain Prediction & Betting Tips - Handball World Championship

Prediction published on 18/01/2023, 12:27  by Steve Ashfield in Handball World Championship Predictions

The USA take on Bahrain in a Group IV main round match in the 2023 Men's World Handball Championships. It's an uphill task for the American side who didn't carry any points from the preliminary round. That's left them bottom of this six-team group which also includes Denmark and Egypt (both on four points), Croatia (two points) and Belgium who also have no points. After this opening game against Bahrain, the USA take on defending world champions Denmark and then Belgium. Their main aim looks to be to beat Belgium and avoid finishing bottom of the group. The preliminary round saw the American team beat Morocco by a single goal and then suffer heavy losses against Croatia and Egypt losing by a combined goal margin of 37. This is the first time they have played in the finals since 2001 and they still have a chance to beat the 24th place achieved 22 years ago.

Bahrain are fourth in Group IV of the main round and have a couple of points. That was earned by beating Belgium 30-28 in their final match in preliminary round Group H. The pressure was on them to get a result in that match after only drawing with Tunisia and then losing to Denmark by a 15-goal margin. Bahrain need to improve to have any chance of finishing in the top two and qualifying for the quarter finals. Their remaining group matches are against Egypt and Croatia, both currently above them in this group. Bahrain are in the main round for the second successive world championships and finished 21st last time. A win here should see them beat that performance.