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Asian Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship:
‘Exceptional’ Iran beats Japan to win first title in 12 years
Iranian prodigy Abolfazl Pasha-Amiri capped off his remarkable campaign with 26 points before picking up the Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite awards at the closing ceremony.
Outside hitter Nima Piri and middle blocker Milad Salari-Toumaj also reached double figures, contributing 11 points apiece, as Iran lifted the trophy for the first time since 2014 after finishing runner-up to Japan and China in the 2022 and 2024 editions, respectively.
Japanese opposite and captain Hikaru Tanaka led all scorers with 28 points, though it was not enough to help his team claim a fourth title in six editions.
Japan opened the final with confidence, edging a tightly contested first set through disciplined defense and precise attacking. Iran responded immediately, raising its level in the second set to level the match.
From there, Iran took control of the contest. The eventual champions dominated the third set 25-17 before holding off a determined Japanese fightback in the fourth, closing it out 25-22 to complete the four-set victory.
The triumph marked another memorable achievement for Iran’s rising stars, whose resilience, teamwork, and consistency carried them through the week-long tournament.
There was further joy for the Iranians as Pedram Heidari Sefat was named joint Best Middle Blocker alongside Japan’s Haru Sawano, while Amir-Ali Shams received the Best Setter award.
“My players were outstanding. They produced an exceptional performance against Japan today,” Iran head coach Abdolreza Alizadeh said after the match.
“They devoted themselves to the team for three months and showed honor, determination, discipline, and exemplary behavior throughout the campaign.”
“We were better than Japan from a technical point of view. We performed better in first-ball attacks and transition play, defended very well, and also had the edge in serve reception. Japan was only better in serving, where they scored three more points than us. Overall, we deserved the 3-1 victory, and I am delighted to have won the championship,” said the former Iran international setter.
“I dedicate this sweet victory and the Asian title to the people of Iran, as well as to Volleyball Federation president Milad Taqavi for his confidence in us and to the coaches’ committee for entrusting this young coaching staff with the team,” Alizadeh said.
He also paid tribute to his assistants, who worked tirelessly throughout the team’s preparations.
“My coaching staff worked around the clock for three months. The team trained four sessions a day as we selected the final squad,” he said.
Iran completed a clean sweep of Pool B, defeating the Philippines and India in straight sets on either side of a 3-1 victory over Bahrain to advance to the quarterfinals.
Alizadeh’s side then defeated South Korea 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 11-25, 25-18) in the quarterfinals before edging host nation and defending champion China in a five-set thriller on Friday to book a final showdown with Japan.
The tournament also served as the qualification pathway for the FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship, with Iran, Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei securing places at next year’s event by reaching the semifinals.
Iran will be looking to add to its two world titles, won in 2007 and 2017, after finishing fourth at the previous edition in Tashkent in 2025.