Indonesia celebrate their 3-1 win against India on Saturday
Surabaya, Indonesia, July 27, 2024 – Title-hotshots Iran, Japan, Korea and hosts Indonesia emerged victorious on the action-packed Top 8 round on Saturday not only to stay unbeaten in the 22nd Asian Men’s U20 Volleyball Championship at Jawa Pos Arena and Gelora Pancasila here, but also advance to the do or die semifinals.
After the rest and recovery day on Friday, the topflight competition resumed with top eight teams testing their mettle in Pool E and Pool F and the remaining eight lower-ranked sides fighting it out in Pool G and Pool H to chase for better opportunities and better positions between 9th and 16th places of the championship, which serves as the Asia’s qualification tournament for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship.
In the Top 8 round on Saturday, former three-time champions Japan pulled off sensational straight-set 25-14, 25-13, 25-23 victory against Saudi Arabia in Pool E at Jawa Pos Arena.
Outside hitter Taiki Shirono chipped in 16 points from 13 kills and 3 aces for Japan, while opposite Hiroki Bito and another outside hitter, Shunta Ono, contributed 13 and 11 points respectively.
Rashad Abuelkhir led Saudi Arabia with 11 points, all in attack.
Another Pool E clash at the same venue saw in-form Indonesia continue their winning streak on home soil with dramatic 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 16-25, 25-18) win against India, silver medallists at the previous edition two years ago in Riffa, Bahrain.
Opposite Dawuda Alaihi was on fire, producing a match-high 26 points from 19 kills, 3 blocks and 4 aces for hosts Indonesia, while middle blocker Darda Mulya and opposite Farchan Vachrezy added 10 points apiece. Opposite Nikhil bagged 17 points including 14 attacks from 30 attempts on the India’s loss.
However, with only top two teams from each pool booking their semifinal spots, Indonesia and Japan are uncatchable in Pool E and through to the semifinals, with the former claiming 6 points from two straight wins and the latter bagging 5 points from two wins in a row. India and Saudi Arabia had respective one point and no point following two straight losses to come in third and fourth places in Pool E.
On Sunday, the second day of the classification round for 1st-8th places, Japan will go up against Indonesia in the highly-anticipated duel of the two unbeaten teams to fight for the Pool E winners.
In Pool F, reigning and seven-time winners Iran, which captured the last year’s U21 World Championship title to their name, became the only team not dropping a set to their respective opponents in the championship. The mighty Iranians on Saturday powered past Kazakhstan in thrilling three-setter 25-21, 25-16, 25-22.
Opposite Pouya Ariakhah played a key role in helping Iran cruise past Kazakhstan, scoring a match-high 21 points from 19 kills, one block and one ace, while Opposite Ikramov Diyorbek led Kazakhstan with 18 points, all in attack.
Iran will next take on Korea in the 2022 semifinal rematch on Sunday.
Korea, former six-time champions and bronze medallists in Riffa, Bahrain, flexed their muscles on Saturday to demolish former four-time winners China 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18) in exhausting 101 minutes.
Opposite Yun Gyeong delivered 20 points from 14 kills, 2 blocks and 4 aces for Korea, while outside hitter Yun Seojin and middle blocker Lim Ingyu kept good company to contribute 16 and 11 points respectively. Outside hitter Zhang Zhiqiang scored 16 points including 14 attacks from 26 attempts on the China’s loss.
China dominated the blocking game with 12 stuffs against Korea’s 8, but the Koreans fared better in the other key elements including attacks (57 to 43), aces (6 to 2) and benefited from more opponent errors (26 to 22).
Iran led Pool F with 6 points from two straight wins without losing a set, while Korea also collected 6 points from two wins in a row to come in second position. China and Kazakhstan did not win a point from similar two losses to finish third and fourth places respectively.
Following their remarkable unbeaten runs, Iran and Korea are assured of finishing top two in Pool F and claiming their semifinal spots, while China and Kazakhstan will be relegated to classification round for 5th-8th places although they have to first take on each other on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the classification round for 9th-16th places, Kuwait downed Hong Kong, China in competitive four-setter 25-22, 18-25, 26-24, 25-22 in Pool G.
Opposite Ali Dashti was instrumental in lifting the Kuwait’s 3-1 win with 22 points from 20 kills and 2 blocks, while opposite Lam Ho Wong scored a match-high 28 points from 27 kills and one ace, but it was not enough to help save the day for Hong Kong, China.
In another Pool G encounter, Australia swept Bangladesh in well-fought three sets 25-17, 31-29, 25-21.
Opposite Finley Bennett chipped in 20 points from 17 kills and 3 aces for Australia, while outside hitter Xander Van Driel and middle blocker Mitchell Croft contributed 11 points apiece. Outside hitter Md Titash led Bangladesh with 12 points including 10 attacks from 20 attempts.
Hong Kong China, Bangladesh, Australia and Kuwait had 3 points each from similar 1-1 win/loss record, but following the sets and points ratios, Hong Kong China stayed atop Pool G, followed by Bangladesh, Australia and Kuwait respectively.
On Sunday, Australia will take on Kuwait and Hong Kong, China challenge Bangladesh.
In Pool H, Thailand, which finished a well-earned fourth place at the previous edition two years ago, tasted their first victory in Surabaya following their epic tie-break win 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 21-25, 15-9 in a fatiguing 129-minute clash against Chinese Taipei.
Opposite Christopher Arli Upakam was the Thailand’s most productive player, scoring a match-high 29 points from 27 kills and 2 blocks, while outside hitters Kittipong Sangsak and Chaloemdet Bunrot added another 18 and 13 points respectively. Outside hitter Jheng Wei-Jhih scored 28 points, all in attack, on the Chinese Taipei’s loss.
The other Pool H clash saw Vietnam sweep Qatar in comfortable straight sets 25-12, 25-22, 25-14.
Opposite Trinh Ngoc Dat chipped in 16 points from 14 kills, one block and one ace for Vietnam, while skipper and outside hitter Mahdi Salah led Qatar with 12 points including 10 attacks from 21 attempts.
Vietnam led Pool H with 5 points from two straight wins, with Chinese Taipei and Thailand trailing in second and third places with 4 and 3 points respectively from similar record of one win against one loss. Qatar have yet got a point from two straight losses to come in fourth place.
The classification round for 1st-8th and 9th-16th places continue on Sunday. Semifinals will be held the following day, with the finals taking place on Tuesday, July 30.
POOL RANKING AND RESULTS
POOL E
POOL F
POOL G
POOL H
MATCH SCHEDULE
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