The Iranian Khatam Ardakan men’s volleyball team has launched its campaign at the 2018 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship in Myanmar with victory, defeating an outfit from Kazakhstan in its opening match.
On Monday, Khatam Ardakan squad notched up a 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-20 and 25-22) win over Atyrau VC in a Pool A match played at the Wunna Theikdi A Hall in the Myanmar capital city of Nay Pyi Taw.
The Kazakh volleyball players started the game in a rather organized fashion, and went on earning points. They were off to a 25-20 lead at the end of the first set.
The Iranians, however, did not capitulate. They put right their mistakes in the second set to bring the game under control.
The Iranian team kept the possession of the ball, and cracked successful shots to increase the deficit and minimize the opposite side’s chances to reverse the course. They clinched the set 25-20 at last.
The Khatam Ardakan volleyball team maintained momentum later on, and managed to grab the next two sets 25-20 and 25-22 respectively.
The Iranian side is slated to take on Japan’s Toray Arrows in its next match on Tuesday.
Iran’s Khatam Ardakan is drawn in Pool A of the preliminary round of the sports event, and has joined Toray Arrows of Japan and Kazakhstan’s Atyrau VC.
Pool B consists of China’s Sichuan, Long Power from Chinese Taipei and Vietnamese team Sanest Khanh Hoa.
Australia, Hong Kong, Sri Lankan club Lanka Lions and Nakhonratchasima the Mall from Thailand shape Pool C.
Myanmar’s Asia World Club is pitted against Pakistan and Binagar team from Turkmenistan in Pool D.
The 2018 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship started on July 30, and will run through August 6, 2018.
The tournament serves as the Asian qualifiers for the 2019 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Volleyball Men's Club World Championship, with the champion winning the ticket for the world championship.