On the stage of the 22nd Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship, the high-adrenaline semifinal clashes have paved the way for Japan and Iran to compete in the grand finale. Meanwhile, Qatar and China will vie for the coveted bronze.
Japan shattered Qatar’s hopes of reaching an unprecedented championship final, with a gripping 3-1 victory. The scores (22-25, 25-18, 25-14, 28-26) at Al Ghadir Hall 1 revealed the intensity of the clash. With this victory, an undefeated Japanese team earns its rightful place in the tournament’s grand showdown. They’ll be pitted against Iran, who outclassed China in their respective semifinal.
Ran Takahashi emerged as the star player for Japan, contributing an impressive 19 points, of which 18 were attacks. From Qatar’s side, Raimi Wadidie was the top scorer with 14 points.
Iran demonstrated their dominance over China with a straight-set win (25-20, 25-23, 25-23). This triumph ensures a nail-biting final with Japan. On the other side, China and Qatar are gearing up for an intense battle for the bronze.
Urmia, Iran, is the chosen venue for this significant volleyball championship. Historically, Japan leads the tally with nine championship titles, followed by South Korea and Iran, each boasting four wins. In the current FIVB rankings, Japan holds the prestigious fifth spot, while Iran stands at the tenth position.