Iran’s U-20 volleyball team cruises to 3rd straight Asian title
Iran’s youth volleyball team defeated South Korea on Tuesday to claim their third consecutive title at the Asian Men’s U-20 Volleyball Championship in Indonesia.
Going into the final day of the tournament with six straight wins, Iran faced South Korea for the cup match and managed to sweep them 3-0 to secure the top spot in Asian volleyball.
Coached by Gholamreza Momeni-Moqaddam, the Iranian youngsters went down in history with a hat-trick of championships.
In the first set, Iran’s solid defense shut down South Korea, as the young Iranian volleyballers cruised to a commanding 25-12 win, establishing a 13-point lead.
South Koreans, determined to salvage their reputation, put up a better fight in the second set but still fell short against Asia’s top team, losing 25-18.
Iran’s diverse offense shone in the second set, with 16 attack points, three points from blocks, and another three from aces, outperforming their opponents in every aspect.
The third set saw a more resilient South Korea, who even led at times, but Iranian players prevailed 25-22 to clinch the match and lift the 22nd Asian men’s championship trophy.
Iran’s starting lineup included Emran Koukjili, Armin Qelich-Niazi, Pouya Ariakhah, Matin Hosseini, Arian Mahmoudinejad, and Morteza Tabataba’i. Players Shayan Mehrabi, Matin Saghali, Abolfazl Mehdian, Taha Behboudnia, Morteza Narimani, and Ali Eshqinour also contributed to Iran’s win.
In the third-place playoff, Japan faced off against the hosts, Indonesia, who emerged victorious with a 3-1 win to grab the bronze medal.
It was Iran’s 18th appearance in the Asian Men’s U-20 Volleyball Championship. In the previous editions, Iran had won seven golds, three silvers, and two bronzes. With this year’s triumph, they bring home another trophy to become eight-time champions in this age group in Asia.