In its second match of the preliminary round of the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games, Iran's national volleyball team faced Thailand and managed to win with a score of three to zero. This victory not only marks Iran's second consecutive win but also places the team at the top of Group B.
Decisive Performance on the Court
The match, held at 10:30 AM, featured an outstanding display by the Iranian players. Under Roberto Piazza's coaching, the team won three consecutive sets with scores of 25 to 18, 25 to 18, and 25 to 15, overcoming their opponent. The starting lineup for Iran included Amin Esmaeilnejad (captain), Pouria Hosseinkhanzaadeh, Seyed Eisa Naseri, Mohammad Valizadeh, Arshia Behnazad, Ali Haqparast, and Hossein Hajikhalateh (libero).
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History of Encounters with Thailand
This match was the sixteenth encounter between Iran's national volleyball team and Thailand, and with this victory, the Iranian men recorded their fifteenth win against this team. The Thai national team is coached by Park Ki-won, the former head coach of Iran's national team, who sat on Iran's bench from 2002 to 2005.
With two wins and 6 points, Iran's national volleyball team is currently at the top of the group and will soon face the Indonesian national team in their third and final preliminary match. This match is scheduled for 10:30 AM tomorrow, Tuesday, October 7.
In the last three editions of the Asian Games (2014, 2018, and 2022), Iran has won gold medals and championships, and with these victories, they aim to reaffirm their position in this competition. Additionally, three silver medals and one bronze medal are among the other achievements of Iran's men's volleyball in these games.
The coaching staff of Iran's national volleyball team includes Roberto Piazza (head coach), Rahman Mohammadi-rad and Ali Fattahi (coaches), Amin Shakeri (analyst), and Hossein Kord Firouzjai (physiotherapist), who together pursue the goal of championship.
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