Foolad Sirjan in thrilling battle against Al-Rayyan Sports Club
Yazd, Iran, September 10, 2024 – As the pool preliminaries come to an exciting conclusion at the 2024 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, host clubs Shahdab Yazd and Foolad Sirjan Iranian top Pools A and B, respectively and now move into the quarterfinals on September 12, when the competition is set to heat up as teams battle for the prestigious title.
Thrilling Pool Preliminaries: Day Highlights
One of the standout matches of the day was between Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi of Indonesia and Pavlodar Volleyball Club of Kazakhstan. Both teams entered the match with one win and one loss in their pool and were determined to improve their rankings. The Indonesian club displayed a commanding performance, winning 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22) and securing second place in Pool A with two wins and six points.
Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi will now face Al-Rayyan Sports Club of Qatar, the third-placed team from Pool B, in the quarterfinals.
Head coach Reidel Alfonso Gonzales of Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi was pleased with his team’s performance, especially as they are still adjusting to the presence of foreign stars, Earvin Ngapeth and Jean Patry.
“We are still trying to find the best team composition, but I’m happy with how we fought back to win. We played well in the first two sets, lost focus in the third, but came back strong in the fourth to secure victory.”
Meanwhile, Pavlodar Volleyball Club will go up against Kam Air of Afghanistan in the quarterfinals. Despite Pavlodar’s strong third-set performance, they could not maintain momentum and were ultimately overpowered by Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi.
Sergei Gribov, head coach of Pavlodar Volleyball Club, commented, “We lost the first two sets, and in the third, we tried to play at the level of Jakarta’s Olympic stars, but it was difficult. We gave a good fight, but in the end, we couldn’t maintain our rhythm.”
Earvin Ngapeth, the French volleyball superstar playing for Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi, acknowledged the team’s challenges: “We played well in the first two sets, but the opponents made strong adjustments in the third set. It was tough, but we found our coordination again and managed to close the game. I’m happy we advanced, but the real competition begins from now.”
Kam Air’s Rise in Pool B
Kam Air, Afghanistan’s representative in the championship, secured their spot as the second-ranked team in Pool B after a commanding 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18) victory over Iraq’s Gas Al-Janoob. The Afghan club’s rapid improvement was evident throughout the match, as they dominated their Iraqi opponents to secure their first win.
Hamid Movahedi, head coach of Kam Air, expressed his pride in his team’s progress: “Our team have been showing better performance with each game, despite limited preparation. We did not have the luxury of practicing much or playing preparatory matches, but the team are growing stronger with every game. I am proud of the Afghan players and their fighting spirit.”
Gas Al-Janoob’s head coach, Alaa Khalaf, acknowledged his team’s shortcomings: “This is the first time Iraq have lost to Afghanistan in volleyball, and I respect them for their effort. However, our players were fatigued, and one of our key defenders was injured. Unfortunately, my players weren’t as focused as they should have been.”
Gas Al-Janoob, now the fourth-placed team in Pool B, will face the tournament hosts Shahdab Yazd in what promises to be a tough quarterfinal match.
Shahdab Yazd Soars to Top of Pool A
Host club Shahdab Yazd put on a stellar performance, defeating Kuwait Sporting Club 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-20) in front of a packed house of 6,000 enthusiastic fans at Shahediyeh Hall.
The victory ensures Shahdab Yazd to finish atop Pool A with nine points from three consecutive wins, advancing to the quarterfinals with confidence.
Shahdab’s head coach, Rahman Mohammadirad, praised his team and the fans: “Congratulations to our incredible supporters. We finished the preliminaries without any losses, and now we are focused on the quarterfinals.
“We gave some of our younger players a chance today, and they performed well. The next game will be a tough challenge, but we are here to make our fans proud. We’ll be fighting with all our strength to win the championship.”
Shahdab’s opponents in the quarterfinals, Gas Al-Janoob, will need to regroup quickly if they hope to challenge the hosts.
Foolad Sirjan Complete Pool B Domination
Foolad Sirjan Iranian, the other host club, maintained their dominance in Pool B with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-23) victory over Al-Rayyan Sports Club of Qatar. With three wins and nine points, Foolad Sirjan top Pool B and advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Kuwait Sporting Club.
Head coach Behrouz Ataei was pleased with the result but highlighted the challenge posed by Al-Rayyan: “We knew that Al-Rayyan were a strong opponent, and we respected them by playing with full strength. It was important not to give away any sets, as it could have impacted the standings.
“Our players performed well, but unfortunately, one of our key players, Seyed Mohammad Mousavi, was injured. He likely won’t be able to train for three days and may miss the quarterfinal match.”
Al-Rayyan’s head coach, Morad Sennoun, acknowledged his team’s effort: “We didn’t start well, but we played a good game in the third set. If we can replicate that performance against Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi, we’ll have a chance to win. It’s going to be a tough game, but we’re ready for the challenge.”
With the pool preliminaries completed, teams will have a rest day on Wednesday, September 11 before the quarterfinals begin the following day.
MATCH SCHEDULE
QUARTERFINALS
September 12
1100am: Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi (INA) vs Al-Rayyan Sports Club (QAT)
1400pm: Kam Air (AFG) vs Pavlodar Volleyball Club (KAZ)
1700pm: Shahdab Yazd (IRI) vs Gas Al Janoob (IRQ)
2000pm: Foolad Sirjan Iranian (IRI) vs Kuwait Sporting Club (KUW)
MATCH RESULTS
September 10
Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi (INA) b Pavlodar Volleyball Club (KAZ) 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22)
Kam Air (AFG) b Gas Al-Janoob (IRQ) 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18)
Shahdab Yazd (IRI) b Kuwait Sporting Club (KUW) 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-20)
Foolad Sirjan Iranian (IRI) defeated Al-Rayyan Sports Club (QAT) 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-23)
POOL STANDINGS
Pool A
1. Shahdab Yazd (IRI)
2. Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi (INA)
3. Pavlodar Volleyball Club (KAZ)
4. Kuwait Sporting Club (KUW)
Pool B
1. Foolad Sirjan Iranian (IRI)
2. Kam Air (AFG)
3. Al-Rayyan Sports Club (QAT)
4. Gas Al-Janoob (IRQ)
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