TEHRAN - The Iranian National Team arrive in Belgrade for Week 2 of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a mix of relief and renewed determination after securing their first victory against Ukraine in Rio de Janeiro.

Following a tough opening week that saw them fall in three tie-breakers before finally clinching a 3-2 (28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 15-9) win over Ukraine, Iran are eager to improve their standing in the highly competitive tournament.

The victory over Ukraine, where Poria Khanzadeh impressively scored 23 points, offered a much-needed morale boost after defeats to volleyball powerhouses Brazil, the U.S., and Slovenia. Despite the challenging start, head coach Roberto Piazza expressed satisfaction with his team's effort. "Another tough match against a strong team, but all teams in the VNL are powerful and have more experience than Iran," Piazza stated after the narrow loss to Slovenia. "We put everything we had on the court. The boys were okay. We needed to change some moments."

Piazza specifically highlighted missed opportunities in crucial sets, noting, "We should have finished the second set differently, but we lost the key second set, and in the third, we couldn't play like the first. Then, we came back in the fourth."

Iran currently sit in 14th place in the 18-team VNL standings with one win and four points after the first week. While the victory over Ukraine provided a sweet ending to a challenging week, it also served as a stark reminder of the team's ongoing struggles. The close nature of their losses, often going to tie-breakers, suggests potential but also highlights areas for improvement.

The crucial victory against Ukraine, especially coming from behind, can inject confidence into the team.

Individual performances from players like Poria Hossein Khanzadeh, Bardia Saadat, and Morteza Sharifi have shown flashes of brilliance, indicating strong talent within the squad.

The availability of a full squad, as mentioned by Coach Piazza, will provide more strategic options.

However, the inability to close out tight matches consistently remains a significant worry.

Identified weaknesses in tactical execution, particularly in serving and first reception, need urgent attention.

The upcoming fixtures, though not against the absolute top-tier teams like Poland, Brazil, or Japan, are still formidable. For Iran to make a significant impact in the VNL, they must address their technical and tactical deficiencies, convert close sets into wins, and find the consistency needed to compete at the highest level.

Week 2 Schedule in Belgrade (All times IRDT):

Wednesday, June 25: Iran vs. Serbia (21:30)

Friday, June 27: Iran vs. Argentina (18:00)

Saturday, June 28: Iran vs. Germany (18:00)

Sunday, June 29: Iran vs. Netherlands (14:30)