LAHORE: Pakistan senior volleyball team will be looking to go all out when they take on the formidable Iran in the round of 12 match of the 22nd Men's Senior Asian Volleyball Championship in Urmia, Iran, on Wednesday (today).
Pakistan's previous best finish in the event is the fourth place which the Green Shirts managed in the 1989 Seoul Asian Championship.
In case of a win against hosts and Group A winners Iran, Pakistan will directly qualify for the semi-finals.
It will be a real test for Pakistan's Brazilian coach Issanaye Ferraz who has shown lot of skills as a coach during Pakistan's previous two matches in the event against Bangladesh and South Korea.
Although Pakistan on Monday went down to South Korea 3-1 it was indeed the toughest show of the event so far. Iran are a world class team and Pakistan will have to show their best game against them. Their boosters and smashers are terrific. The boosters play with speed. Pakistan’s middle block will have to raise its game as it has been not effective in the recent shows. In the entire show against South Korea on Tuesday, Pakistan managed just one or two blocks.
Pakistan’s middle block movement is slow and if it happens against Iran who have enormous international experience then it will be a distant dream for Issanaye’s boys to notch a win.
Iran have shown top resolve in every section, particularly in block and serves. Pakistan’s key players will have to take responsibility in what could be a crunch game.
Pakistan’s coach Issanaye Ferraz said they will have to go all out and take risks.
“It’s a great challenge,” Issanaye told The News from Urmia on Tuesday.
“And we have nothing to lose but only to win. Sure, after the match you will be proud about Pakistan's volleyball team,” the coach added.
Issanaye said that they will have to take risks if they are to beat Iran.
“And we need to take some risks to achieve victory. But I am confident and believe in my charges who are capable of putting in their best in the vital show,” Issanaye said. “First of all we will focus to play with the sort of potential our brigade have and secondly we will try not to repeat the mistakes which we made against Korea.”
The Brazilian was happy with the way Pakistan played against South Korea.
“That was a huge level match. I am proud of our players. They played well. The emotions were high on both fronts. We lost because Korea played very well and we missed some tactical situations and made small mistakes. But if you compare the numbers it was not a big difference between both the teams,” he said. “Now we are fully focused to play our top game against Iran in the key game.”
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News
