Iran team captain Milad Ebadipour could not be any prouder of his team's effort in the 2024 VNL Manila leg after scoring their first two victories in the tournament.
After starting VNL 2024 with a 0-8 record, world No. 15 Iran secured twin victories in the Manila Leg, beating the USA and the Netherlands in the process.
In their latest match, the Iranians overcame a Nimir Abdel-Aziz-powered Dutch squad in five sets, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10.
Despite Nimir’s 37-point effort, Iran managed to overcome the odds and grab its second-straight win.
While Iran's Olympic Games Paris 2024 chances are still up in the air, captain Milad Ebadipour wants the team to finish strong in the tournament.
“We have to finish the tournament in a good way because we need to finish the tournament with a victory,” Milad told reporters after the match.
“The last two games for us were really difficult, very tough games. We lost eight games and it’s like making our feeling really bad, but I’m so happy because we started the third week with victory,” added Milad, who contributed 13 markers.
Milad praised his team’s fightback and the growth of Iran’s younger generation, led by 19-year-old outside hitter Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh, who finished with 27 points.
“We lost eight games, so nothing better things can happen for our team in that moment. So we leave everything in the past, but we look forward,” said Milad.
“Our young generation, I say many times, I think they start to play themselves more and they change our mentality about emotion, about volleyball, about everything,” he added.
Iran will try to make it three in a row as it goes up against reigning Olympic champion France tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.