Iran crush Japan to clinch title for the seventh time
Iran crushed Japan by three sets to nil in the final of the 10th Asian U18 Youth Volleyball Championship final played at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday to clinch the title for the seventh time since the tournament began in 1997.
Iran’s easy first set win demonstrated of what was to expect from the defending champions as the game progressed as their defence and dashes were too much for the Japan side to handle.
But the Japanese players put up a better performance in the second set as they led till the halfway stage of the game but again they succumbed to the Iranians superior dashing.
The third game too went in the same pattern with Japan being in the lead for most part of the game. They had a clear cut lead of five points but Iran reduced the deficit to two points.
Iran trailing on 20-22 struck back to score five points at a stretch to seal the game as Japan faltered when it mattered most and had to be satisfied being the second best.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling three frames to two win over fancied South Korea in the battle for the fifth and sixth place. South Korea came in to the championship as the fourth seeded team as against to the sixth seeded Sri Lanka side. The encounter turned out to be a thriller which went to the wire with the Sri Lankans prevailing in the deciding set. The ding dong battle saw South Korea going into the lead by winning the first set but the hard working Sri Lankan side who put in a fine performance in their first round matches by coming out on top in their group fought back.
China got the better of Chinese Taipei by three sets to one to end up as the third best team while India overcame Australia by three sets to nil to secure the seventh spot.
Results:
Final: Iran beat Japan 3-0 (25/11, 25/22, 25/23).
Third and fourth place: China beat Chinese Taipei 3-1 (24/26, 25/19, 25/21, 25/17).
Fifth and sixth place match: Sri Lanka beat South Korea 3-2 (21/25, 25/21, 25/22, 23/25, 23/21).
Seventh and eighth place match: India beat Australia 3-0 (25/13, 25/23, 25/14).