Pasay City, PhilippinesThe volleyball fairy tale of the hosts from the Philippines in their match against Iran ended with a dramatic 2:3 (25-21, 21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 20-22) defeat in the packed arena in Pasay City. For the first time during the championship, the stands were full, despite the expensive tickets, and the atmosphere was a true celebration, but even that wasn't enough for luck to shine on the hosts, who squandered 6(six!) match points.
Comeback and intrigue
The Philippines started with a whirlwind – they won the first set 25:21, spurred on by the loud support of the crowd. Iran, however, quickly responded, taking the second set 25:21. The third set proved to be the hosts' culmination: a decisive 25:17 and service errors from the opponent, which seemed to foretell an upset.
The fourth set also began with energy from the Filipinos – a block for 1:0, several successful digs and new ties. But it was then that Porya, a former teammate of Alex Nikolov at Lube, took matters into his own hands. With powerful serves and attacks, he disrupted the hosts' reception. Iran closed the set 25:23, leveling the score and sending the match to a tie-break.
The Tie-break – Drama until the Last Moment
The fifth set offered everything a fan could wish for – comebacks, emotions, and pure drama. The hosts erased a four-point deficit and even reached a sixth match point, which was seemingly "won." But a video challenge reversed the point, and with it, the tie. This seemed to break the spirits of the hosts, who had expended their entire adrenaline reserve celebrating the "victory." Ultimately, Iran's more experienced squad showed composure and snatched the 22:20 victory in the decisive set.
Statistical Overview
The two teams were almost equally matched in attack – 62 successful hits for the Philippines versus 63 for Iran. The difference again came in blocking, where the hosts had a significant advantage – 12 to 8. On serve, the Iranians were a point more effective (6 versus 5 aces). Interestingly, the Philippines received more "gifts" from opponent errors – 35 versus 33.
In terms of game elements, Iran showed more stability: 94 receptions and 116 sets compared to 83 and 105 respectively for the hosts. Digs in defense were almost equal – 50 for Iran and 48 for the Philippines, which underscores how fierce the battle was.
Top Scorers
Individual performances were impressive. Star Bryan Bagunas, who plays for Japan's Osaka Bluteon,scored 22 points for the Philippines, and his teammate Ordiales added another 21. For Iran, Porya also finished with 22 points, and Hajipour with the same number – 22. This equality among the top scorers further demonstrated how balanced and dramatic the match was.
The Philippines may have lost, but they created a true spectacle and proved that the home advantage can work wonders. Iran survived and avoided a sensational elimination already in the preliminary phase, but paid for it with great effort and nerves. The stands witnessed one of the most spectacular matches of the tournament, one that will remain in the memory of fans, regardless of the final result.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
