The Suntory Sunbirds of Japan have emerged victorious after a grueling four-set thriller against Shahdab Yazd of Iran in the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, shattering the latter’s aspirations of making their historic final appearance. The match, played on Saturday, saw the Japanese squad securing their spot in the grand finale with a gripping 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 34-32, 25-17) win.
Suntory Sunbirds – Photo: AVC
This result was a déjà vu for Shahdab Yazd, as it mirrored the previous edition of the Asian Club Championship in Tehran last year, where the Iranian team was outclassed 3-1 by Suntory Sunbirds in the semi-finals. The Sunbirds managed to repeat this feat in this year’s Bahrain-hosted semifinals, further establishing their dominance over the Iranian team.
Along with the satisfaction of the hard-fought win, the victory propels Suntory Sunbirds into the final of the Asian Club Championship, affirming their undefeated run in the tournament so far. They are slated to meet their final challenge against Indonesia’s Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi, who managed to pull off an astounding victory over Police SC in another hard-fought semifinal encounter. The Indonesian team’s win against the Qatari favorite marks a significant milestone for Indonesian volleyball, heralding their arrival on the continental stage.
As the anticipation for Sunday’s showdown builds, the Suntory Sunbirds and Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi prepare for their final match, each eyeing the prestigious title. Meanwhile, in the third-place game, two teams initially vying for the championship title, Qatari Police SC and Iranian champions Shahdab Yazd, will lock horns, their sights set on securing the bronze medal at 2023 edition of Asian Volleyball Club Championship.
