Osaka, Japan, May 12, 2025 – With pool play nearing its conclusion, the race for quarterfinal spots intensified at the inaugural AVC Men’s Champions League at Panasonic Arena, as Osaka Bluteon, Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC, Aqtobe VC and Muharraq Club all posted vital victories on Monday.
Host team Osaka Bluteon completed a flawless run in Pool B, securing the maximum six points from two straight-set wins to advance confidently to the quarterfinals. Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima also wrapped up their campaign in Pool C with four points from one win and one loss, ensuring their place in the knockout stage.
Cuban star Hefty Castro Lopez Miguel Angel delivered a standout performance for Osaka Bluteon, recording a match-high 22 points in their dominant 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-20) victory over Shanghai Bright of China. Japanese national team players Shoma Tomita and Yuji Nishida added 14 and 11 points respectively. For Shanghai, Michal Kubiak led with 9 points, while 200cm-tall Xiu Chengcheng chipped in 7.
With Osaka’s pool campaign complete, Shanghai Bright will now battle the Cignal HD Spikers of the Philippines, both winless so far, on Tuesday at 15:05 local time to determine the remaining quarterfinalist from Pool B.
In Pool A, Aqtobe VC of Kazakhstan opened their campaign with a commanding 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-19) win over Australia’s Queensland Pirates, which have already been eliminated following two straight losses. Both Aqtobe and Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, which also defeated Queensland Pirates earlier, are now set to face off in a highly anticipated match for the top position in Pool A. However, both teams have already secured their spots in the quarterfinals.
Nikita Shavalev led the Kazakh side with 14 points (13 kills, 1 ace), while captain Aibat Netalin contributed 12 (11 kills, 1 block) and Nodirkhan Kadirkhanov added 11. The Pirates struggled to gain momentum, with Xander Van Driel topping their scoresheet with just 8 points.
In Pool D, Muharraq Club of Bahrain revived their quarterfinal hopes with a well-earned 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 25-22) win over Vietnam’s Sport Training Center 3, following an earlier loss.
Swedish opposite Jacob Link starred with 26 points (22 kills, 3 blocks, 1 ace), while Maarten van Garderen of the Netherlands added 16. Polish outside hitter Alexandre Ferreira and Bahraini attacker Mohamed Aldwairi also played crucial roles in the victory. On the Vietnamese side, Nguyen Ngoc Thuan tallied 15 points, all from attacks, with Nguyen Van Quoc Duy contributing 12.
In Pool C, Nakhon Ratchasima recorded their first win, a hard-fought 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 26-28, 25-20) triumph over Taichung Bank of Chinese Taipei.
Indonesian outside hitter Doni Haryono led the charge with 17 points (16 kills, 1 ace), supported by Mongolian middle blocker Tamiraa Khangal and Uzbek opposite Azizbek Kuchkorov, who each scored 12. Despite the loss, Taichung’s Wen Yi Kai led all scorers with 18 points.
Key Matches on Tuesday – Final Day of Pool Play
• At 10:05, Foolad Sirjan (Iran) take on Taichung Bank in a must-win match for the Taiwanese squad, which need all three points to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.
• At 12:35, Al-Rayyan Sports Club (Qatar), whic already defeated Muharraq, will face Sport Training Center 3. The Vietnamese team must secure a straight-set win to stay in contention.
• At 15:04, Cignal HD Spikers and Shanghai Bright clash in a do-or-die encounter, with the winners claiming the final quarterfinal slot from Pool B.
• The final match of the day features Suntory Sunbirds vs. Aqtobe VC in a showdown for Pool A supremacy, though both sides have already qualified following Queensland’s elimination.
Click the link below for match schedule, results and photos
https://asianvolleyball.net/new/2025-avc-mens-champions-league/
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