The Iranian community team represented by Saipa club of Iran clinched the FA Volleyball Cup after defeating Al Nasr 3-0 in the final held yesterday at the Rashid Bin Hamdan indoor sports hall. They won 25-18, 25-20 and 25-15.
Saipa showed an excellent performance in all the matches they played in the FA Cup. The UAE Volleyball Association decided this season to allow community teams to take part in the FA Cup so that the players gain experience.
The Iranian community invited Saipa club of Tehran to represent them. They also used the services of two Serbian players.
Saipa led in the first set 3-1, 6-2, 12-7 with good defence at the back line by Hamed Jaafary and Shahir Jalwa which allowed them to continue advancing to 20-14 and they finished the set winners 25-18.
Al Nasr snatched the lead in the second set 5-4 for the first time in the match with powerful smashes by Khalid Walid and Khalid Al Dossary.
Wrong serving and weak defence on the net by the Iranians with a strong back defence by Al Nasr’s Khalid Al Hossany, Ahmad Ebrahim gave Al Nasr a three point lead 10-7.
However the Iranians recovered through unstoppable smashes by Serbian Darkan Boukir and Mehdi Renjir to level at 16-16. They never looked back until they won the set at 25-20.
The Iranians dominated the third set from the start. They led 7-3 and 13 -8 and the Al Nasr players found it tough to stop them. Saipa won the set 25-15.
Dr Khalifa Al Shaali, VA board chairman, and Jasem Ali Rajab, general secretary, presented the trophy and gold medals to the Iranian players and silver medals to the Al Nasr players.
