Hangzhou, China, September 25, 2023 – As hosts China eye to end 25-year gold-medal drought, reigning champions Iran moved a step closer to title hat-trick. The two unbeaten teams are now set to lo lock horns in a highly-anticipated confrontation at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Men’s Volleyball Competition in the Tuesday’s final showdown at Linping Sports Center Gymnasium.
The stage is set for the electrifying finale to mark the end of the men’s volleyball competition after hectic eight days in the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. Both China and Iran are expected to push their limits, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for the accomplished Asian Games dreams.
China had captured their last Asian Games men’s volleyball gold medal in the 1998 Bangkok Games in Thailand and since then they had never returned from the Asian Games with gold medal. The Chinese finished fourth in 2002 in Busan, Korea, picked up silver medal in the 2006 Doha Games in Qatar and took the fourth position in the 2014 Incheon Games in Korea, but they were disappointed to finish the Games empty-handed in 2010 Guangzhou Games on home soil and the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia.
Iran, on the other hand, are defending and consecutive two-time Asian Games gold medallists and the winners at the 2019, 2021 Asian Senior Men’s Championship. However, following the upset loss to Japan in the final showdown at the recent 2023 Asian Championship on home soil, Iran have their sights set on a huge comeback and the lost pride to be regained in Hangzhou, where they set their sights on winning the Asian Games title for three times in succession.
The Asian Games dreams of both teams started in Hangzhou on September 19, but only one team will return with their dream come true on Tuesday, September 26.
On Monday, the penultimate day of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Men’s Volleyball Competition, China and Iran cruised past their respective opponents in the do-or-die semifinals.
At the packed Linping Sports Center Gymnasium, fired-up Iran, current world No11, managed a 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22) shutout of FIVB Challenger Cup silver medallists Qatar in the first semifinal clash.
Outside hitter Amirhossein Esfandiar chipped in with 19 points including 14 kills, 2 blocks and team-leading 3 aces for Iran, while outside hitter Youssef Oughlaf scored 10 points including 9 attacks from 21 attempts in the Qatar’s loss.
The second semifinal match saw star spiker Zhang Jingyin score a match-high 20 points including 16 attacks and 3 aces to steer hosts China to a convincing 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21) win against world No.5 and Asian winners Japan, fielding second-string squad in Hangzhou. Opposite spiker Keihan Takahashi contributed 14 points including 12 kills on the Japan’s losing effort.
China fared much better in this match and the match stats witnessed the host side’s domination as the winners dominated in kills (42 to 30), aces (6 to 0) and benefitted from more opponent errors (21 to 20).
Both teams had similar blocking efforts, scoring 6 apiece in that category.
In the Classification Round for ranking 7-10 at China Textile City Sports Center Gymnasium in Keqiao, in-form Indonesia, current world No.57 and consecutive three-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medallists, struggled to beat world No.59 Kazakhstan in epic tie-breaker 25-22, 24-26, 22-25, 25-16, 15-12.
Opposite spiker Anggara Agil Angga delivered 24 points including 22 attacks from 37 attempts for Indonesia, while Putratama Fahri Septian added another 21 points from 18 attacks and 3 blocks.
Opposite spiker Maxim Michshenko remained the backbone of Kazakhstan to score a match-high 24 points in the team’s loss, while Vitaliy Vorivodin and Vladislav Kunchenko added 16 points apiece.
Indonesia, which finished sixth at the previous 2018 Asian Games on home soil, will battle it out for the 7th position this time with Korea, silver medallists at the previous 2018 Asian Games, on Tuesday at the same venue here.
Korea, current world No.27 and fifth place at the last month’s Asian Championship in Iran, survived a scare from Thailand to stun the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup winners in hard-fought four-set thriller 25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 31-29.
Outside hitter Na Gyeongbok was the most productive player of Korea to deliver 19 points including 18 attacks, with opposite spiker Heo Subong scored 11 points. Outside hitter Jeong Hanyong and opposite spiker Im Donghyeok also kept good company to add 10 points apiece.
Opposite spiker Napadet Bhinijdee led Thailand with 22 points including 20 kills from 47 attempts.
Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei, which claimed bronze medals at the previous 2018 Asiad in Indonesia and 6th at the Asian Senior Men’s Championship in Iran last month, finished a disappointing 11th this time following their 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 25-19) demolition of Bahrain in the Monday morning’s 11th-12th place playoff at Linping Sports Center Gymnasium.
Opposite spiker Chang Yu-Sheng scored a match-high 20 points, all in attack, for Chinese Taipei, while outside hitter Tseng Hsiang-Ming added another 18 points including 13 attacks and team-leading 4 blocks. Outside hitter Abdulla Mohamed Yaqoob led Bahrain with 18 points including 14 attacks.
Bahrain, which came back to compete in the Asian Games for the first time in 17 years since they last took part in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar and returned with 8th place, left the competition venue with heads low in despair due to the 12th-place finish in Hangzhou.
On Tuesday, the last day of the Hangzhou 2022 men’s volleyball competition, Qatar and Japan will fight it out in the third-place playoff match for bronze medal at 14.30pm local time at Linping Sports Center Gymnasium, followed by the final showdown between China and Iran at 19.30pm.
At China Textile City Sports Center Gymnasium, Kazakhstan will take on Thailand in the 9th-10th playoff at 10.30am, while Indonesia will play Korea at 14.30pm to fight for the 7th position. India and Pakistan will battle it out for the 5th place at 18.30pm.
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