AVC Women’s Volleyball Continental Championship:
Iran makes quick work of Iraq to progress to knockouts
Iran returned to winning ways at the AVC Women’s Volleyball Continental Championship in Tianjin, China, crushing Iraq in straight sets on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Less than 18 hours after suffering an expected 3-0 defeat against the formidable hosts – a record 13-time champion at the competition and No. 7 in the FIVB World Rankings – the Iranian girls bounced back to outclass Iraq 25-4, 25-7, 25-5 in a match that lasted just over an hour at Tianjin Olympic Center Gymnasium.
Outside hitter Fatemeh Khalili topped the scoring for Iran with 14 points, while middle blocker Reihaneh Karimi contributed 13.
Opposite spiker Elaheh Poursaleh also reached double figures, chipping in 12 points, while middle blocker Zahra Karimi delivered yet another impressive performance with eight points, including two blocks and an ace.
The result lifted Iran to two wins in three outings, securing second place in the Pool A standings.
The Iranian girls got their campaign off to a flying start, fighting back for a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei – the runner-up at June’s AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup, where Iran had settled for seventh place.
Iran head coach Alireza Toloukian praised his players’ “full concentration” throughout the victory, adding: “We did not want to make even one mistake, and that is what happened.”
“Matches against weaker teams can sometimes prove even trickier, as the players need to have the right mindset rather than simply focusing on the tactical aspects of the game,” Tolooukian said.
“I really wanted to give the younger players an opportunity, but as every single point counts toward our position in the knockout draw, I had to use the key players,” he said.
Iran is yet to learn which team it will face in the next round, as the quarterfinal lineup will be determined through a combined ranking system after the conclusion of the group stage on Wednesday.
South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Australia were all scheduled to play after Iran, with the results determining Iran’s next opponent on Thursday or Friday.
Toloukian, however, predicted that his team would finish fifth in the overall standings and potentially face Indonesia in the next round.
“We are waiting for the results and will begin the necessary planning as soon as our opponent is determined,” he said.
This year’s championship marks Iran’s ninth appearance at the continental showpiece, with its best result coming in the 2019 edition, when it finished seventh.
Toloukian said the team, which finished 10th in the previous edition in 2023, is aiming to achieve its best-ever result in Tianjin.
“Our goal this year is to set a new milestone,” he said. “If we can reach the final four or achieve a good position in the classification matches, that would be a significant achievement.”