Iran delivered a commanding performance in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) by defeating China in straight sets during Thursday’s preliminary round match in Gdansk.
From the start, the Iranian team took firm control of the match, putting China on the back foot and struggling to recover throughout. The dominant victory reinforced Iran’s reputation as one of the top contenders in this year’s VNL competition.
Leading Iran’s powerful charge were Morteza Sharifi and Amirhossein Esfandiar. Sharifi topped the scoreboard with 15 points through aggressive attacks and well-placed aces that consistently broke down China’s defense.
Esfandiar followed with 12 points, showing the depth and balance in Iran’s offensive strategy. On the Chinese side, captain Jiang Chuan led with 11 points, and Li Yongzhen added 10. However, despite their efforts, they could not keep pace with Iran’s rhythm and momentum.
The opening set proved to be the most competitive. China initially managed to gain an 18-16 advantage, with Jiang’s timely spike playing a key role. But Iran responded with resilience, leveling the score at 19-19 with an ace from Sharifi.
As the set extended beyond regulation, China managed to equalize again at 24-24, but Iran stayed composed. A decisive attack by Sharifi and a costly error from the Chinese side allowed Iran to clinch the set 28-26, underlining their composure in tense moments.
China briefly surged at the beginning of the second set, taking a 5-2 lead after a strong block by Peng Shikun. Iran, however, quickly neutralized the threat, tying the score at 9-9 thanks to effective blocking from Eisa Naseri. With momentum swinging their way, Iran built a 19-15 lead and went on to take the set 25-21, with Naseri once again contributing defensively.
In the third set, Iran tightened their grip on the match. Esfandiar and Sharifi continued their dominance, and with the team firing on all cylinders, Iran comfortably closed out the set and the match.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Cuba pulled off a notable upset by defeating hosts Poland in four sets (22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 26-24). Marlon Yant Herrera led the Cuban side with 18 points, while Kewin Sasak stood out for Poland with 11.