Iran's volleyball team demonstrated a brilliant performance in the FIVB World League as it led a decisive victory against Russia in Kazan on Saturday. The Iranian volleyballers beat Olympic champion Russia 3-1 (20-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23), which took their tally to four points in the fifth week of seven major games against powerful teams.
The Russians took the first set, but the Iranian team made a powerful come-back in set two and beat the rival 25-16. Iran went on winning two more sets in a row, scoring a tight win in the fourth set with only two points apart.
Mojtaba Mirzajanpour and Milad Ebadipour were top scorers for Iran with 14 points each, but it was Russia’s Maxim Mikhaylov with 17 points that was the most prolific player at the end of the match.
This was Iran’s first victory in the FIVB World League, having earned only one point from its last match against Poland.
Iran is to take on Russia again on Sunday at 19:40 Tehran time in the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, Kazan.