Czechs make steady start with confident win over Iran
Michal Rak (CZE) spikes
Czech Republic
vs
Iran
3
-
0
November 17, Nagano: The Czech Republic made a confident start to their World Championships campaign with a straight sets victory over Iran.
The spirited Iranians pushed their European opponents hard in each set, but ultimately paid the price for a slow start as the Czechs ran out 25-23, 25-19, 25-22 winners.
The Czech Republic began in commanding fashion, racing to an 8-4 lead with powerful spiking from Jan Stokr and Michal Rak.
Stokr was also giving Iran problems with his deadly service, but Alireza Nadi showed he could fight fire with fire with a strong smash at the net.
Mohammed Torkashvand also weighed in with a heavy hit on the left as Iran hauled the early leaders back to 11-9, but Czech captain Martin Lebl was establishing himself at the net.
A few fluffed services on both sides made sure neither side could gain a foothold, and venomous spikes from Stokr and Iran's Mohammed Mansouri illustrated how tight the set had become.
But the Czechs had never conceded the lead throughout Iran's fightback, and Peter Platenik's attacking wing play was taking them closer.
Iran fought them all the way, but they were up against it after their slow start.
Another Stokr spike gave the Czechs set point, and Ondrej Hudecek finished it one point later.
The Czech Republic threatened to pull away again at the start of the second set as Hudecek rampaged down the left.
But Behnam Mahmoudi and captain Peyman Akbari made sure their European opponents didn't get too far ahead, as Iran looked to get back into the match.
Sloppy serving on either side was not helping matters, but there was nothing careless about the way Mansouri was racking up the points for Iran.
The number 6 was all over the court, seeming to hang in mid-air as he contested each ball.
Nadi was also finding success, but unfortunately for the Iranians, so was Stokr, as the Czech Republic went into the second TTO 16-12 ahead.
Iran libero Farhad Zarif, by far the shortest man on the court at 165cm, was defending like a lion as the frequency of the Czech attacks increased.
But every time he dived to return the ball with an incredible dig, it seemed there was someone on the other side of the net to smash it back at him.
More often than not it was captain Lebl, but it was Rak that brought up set point with a block.
Rak then repeated the trick to give the Europeans the second set after a marathon rally.
Iran made sure they did not start the third set on the back foot again, as they took an early 4-2 advantage.
Mahmoudi kept up the pressure with a big spike to make it 9-5, but Hudecek hit straight back before Lebl snatched more ground with a service ace.
Iran had seen the value of an early lead in the previous two sets, however, and were in no mood to give it up.
Mahmoudi fired another giant spike into the Czech defence, to lead his side into the second TTO 16-13 ahead.
But Czech momentum was growing, and another block from Rak brought them level at 19-19.
Yet another block from the irrepressible Rak took them ahead at 20-19, and suddenly the match was theirs for the taking.
Captain Lebl gave the Czech Republic match point at 24-22, and a block by Jiri Popelka sealed an impressive opening win for the Europeans.
