Yuki Ishikawa vs Morteza Sharifi | Japan vs Iran | DRAMATIC Volleyball Match !!!

Yuki Ishikawa vs Morteza Sharifi | Japan vs Iran | DRAMATIC Volleyball Match !!! Japan and Iran delivered a dramatic five-set battle in the Men’s Volleyball Nations League 2026, with Japan surviving a fierce Iranian comeback to claim a 3–2 victory. Played on June 26 in Orléans, France, during Week 2 of the preliminary phase, the match ended 25–19, 25–19, 20–25, 23–25, 15–12.

Japan looked firmly in control after winning the opening two sets, but Iran refused to surrender. They fought back to take the third and fourth sets, turning a seemingly comfortable Japanese victory into a tense deciding-set showdown. Japan recovered their composure in the fifth set, and Ran Takahashi delivered the winning point to complete the victory.

Yuki Ishikawa led the way with a match-high 22 points, including one ace. Japan’s captain and outside hitter provided their biggest individual scoring contribution in a match where the team recorded an impressive 66% attack success rate. With Iran pushing the contest to five sets, Ishikawa’s scoring helped Japan withstand the challenge and protect their unbeaten record.

Morteza Sharifi delivered a strong all-round scoring performance for Iran, finishing with 16 points, including three aces and two blocks. The Iranian captain contributed through his attacking, serving and blocking, finishing as his team’s second-highest scorer behind Ali Haghparast, who recorded 19 points. Sharifi’s three aces highlighted the threat he posed from the service line.

Ran Takahashi supported Ishikawa with 19 points, including two aces and one block. Larry Ik Evbade-Dan contributed 15 points, including five blocks, while Kento Miyaura also scored 15 and Yuji Nishida added 13 as the two opposites shared time on court. For Iran, Mobin Nasri finished with 13 points and Seyed Eisa contributed 12.

After the match, Takahashi pointed to a loss of concentration after the second set, but Japan’s recovery in the decider proved decisive. Their sixth victory in six matches lifted them to the top of the standings with 16 points. Iran earned a valuable standings point despite the defeat, moving to six points with a 1–6 record.

Ishikawa finished ahead in total scoring, while Sharifi contributed more aces and added two blocking points. Their individual attack percentages, reception figures and set-by-set scoring were not provided in the official match report.

Watch the highlights of this thrilling Japan vs Iran clash, featuring Yuki Ishikawa, Morteza Sharifi, Ran Takahashi and an Iranian comeback that pushed unbeaten Japan to the limit. !

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