Two-time Olympic champion France started the second week of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a victory, after defeating Iran 3:2 (25:21, 23:25, 25:21, 24:26, 17:15) in a Group 4 match played in Orléans. The game lasted 2 hours and 50 minutes and offered numerous twists and turns before the French secured a valuable win in front of their home crowd. There was a possibility the match would be played without an audience due to air conditioning issues, but the organizers managed to overcome this shortcoming.
After the match, France occupies 13th place in the VNL interim standings, while Iran is 15th. In the world rankings, "Les Bleus" are No. 7, while the Iranians hold 16th position.
The top scorer for the winners was Mathys Henno with 24 points, and Stephen Boyer added 18. For Iran, Porya scored 20 points, and Haghparast finished with 17.
| Indicator | France | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 69 | 64 |
| Block | 14 | 3 |
| Serve | 4 | 4 |
| Points from opponent errors | 27 | 37 |
| Total points | 114 | 108 |
France compensated for a higher number of their own errors against the opponent with a huge advantage in blocking (14:3). It was the play above the net that proved to be the decisive factor for the success of the Olympic champions. The two teams were equal on serves (4:4), and the French also had a slight advantage in attack (69:64).
| Game element | France | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Digs | 58 | 64 |
| Reception | 92 | 85 |
| Successful attacks | 125 | 119 |
Iran performed better in defense with 64 saved balls against 58 for France, but the hosts were more stable in reception and organized more successful attacks. This allowed them to maintain a higher quality of first attack in the most crucial moments.
France opened the match with aggressive blocking play and took the lead after a series of successful performances by Moussa Gueye. In the second set, the Iranians found a better rhythm in attack and leveled the score. The French responded with a convincing third set, but the fourth part was again decided in favor of the guests after a contested finish.
The tie-break offered true drama. France saved two match points, and the decisive actions of Trevor Clevenot and a powerful block brought them success with 17:15 and the first victory for the hosts in the second week of the tournament.
photo:volleyballworld.com
