Serbia 🇷🇸 vs. Iran 🇮🇷 - Highlights | Men's World Championships 2025

The winner faces Czechia, the loser goes home and Alexander Nadelkovic serves first. And that is what we can expect to see a lot of from Iran tonight, a powerful side out. We saw the same with Tom Cech Stern yesterday, didn't we? He was incredible in attack but couldn't round it off with good serving. That's a good pass in and the touch over the top. There's a reach out there from Hachipur but can't keep it off the floor. Stepanovic doing a nice job. I think that set's a little bit close but he just kind of extends. Stepanovic, good serve. Morteza gets the first touch. He's going to swing from deep, no way through. Let it show, what a block. Three up and Morteza gets the touch on the end. The lead has changed hands in this opening set. It's a late first touch and a massive block from Nadelkovic. Massive block. I don't know if those were exactly words in celebration. Oh, he's loving it. Not to me tonight again. I suppose we would call that responding with authority and succeeding over and over again. Right there, final chance at it for Serbia and they can do it as cool as you like. Peric arrives. Top of the list of things to improve going into set number two, no doubt. Oh, do you know what? We talk about Peric, what about that from Stepanovic? He's taken both of them up with him. Great work by the middle. He's taking them for a dog walk. See ya. Iran serving first in the second set and a good side out there. But it's interesting, isn't it? Because Hadjipour won the first point of the game, didn't he? And he raged. If this game goes five sets, like they could be out there for two. 16-16, Hadjipour in a little shorter. Kuljunzic receives, Peric out wide. Oh, good cover. Tipped well. Hadjipour from deep. Can Serbia have someone in position? And Ljubinic. Oh, great touch. Hadjipour keeps it in the air. Excellent work. And a brilliant joust. Look at that. That's what's going to get Morteza going. I'm sure his teammates won't mind at all. Hadjipour. So he has calmed down a little bit. Up the line. Still on side out. Still up to Serbia to level the game. Ljubinic. Oh, what a block. Mohamed. Great cover as well from Kuljunzic. 20-18. Oh, wow. Hagparast is, he's playing a different sport. As Serbia are very much finding out here in this second set. Oh, that's still in the air somehow. Morteza. Everything going Iran's way. Oh, another fantastic block. 23-19. Iran on the cusp. One point closer as Hadjipour does it again. Serbia serving first. Nadelkovic sends it on its way. And that is an ace. Morteza left short. Haven't been tentative. They've just been getting bombarded from the end line. That's a nice job by Hasrat. Hadjipour. Play it. Send it. That's great hustle. But it's coming back with interest. And Hadjipour, another block touch. Jovovic in position. Ljubinic behind him. Gets the better of the block. I'm pretty sure the first dig there goes off the foot. There's the second one and we'll see the finish from Ljubinic. Just gets in between. Yeah, it's Mohamed. He'll have to do it again for us. Good touch. Ljubinic asks for a touch. No, there's no touch. Just barely misses that right finger. In the second set. Peric. Oh, the standing set. But a good block touch. Back out wide. Oh, that's long. Oh, and Hadjipour. I think this might be a case of him. Now that looks like it's wobbled. And Kujunzic sends it on its way. In a little shorter. Oh, to the middle. And easy use. 20 Iranian fans who have all brought their flags. They've not sat down at all. And they might be about to go stratospheric. Set point. Ljubinic. Oh my goodness. Stefanovic serving for the set. Having defended. One set point. Oh my goodness. Oh goodness. And the Serbia bench has emptied. It's only two sets to one. But this is what it means at this level. Crazy. But it's a crazy sport. It's why we love it. Set number four. Must-win set for Iran. Otherwise the dream is over for another World Championships. And Peric wants it to be over quickly. Yousef. 3-2. Jovovic. He's overcooked that. Break point chance. Still in the air. Ljubinic. Oh, it's a great swing. And he has dug his mate Nikola Jovovic out of trouble there. Maybe the nose on the floor. 9-8. Tough one here for Ljubinic. Oh my goodness. Oh, Yousef. Yeah, there's a touch. Oh, there is. They did get it. Once again, get your hand out of the circle. Don't put it in the circle. Anywhere but the circle. That is well spotted. Stjepanovic. 12-9. Break point lead is back. Pick your poison. Peric. Nice quick ball in. Oh, that is so good. 16-17. Azraq does so well. Oh, that's a great finish. Tease at Yousef. But what about that first touch from the Leverett? If you're Leverett, you have to be wondering what's going on. You hit your four best serves all in succession. And all will be permeating the Mall of Asia arena. Tough point now for Serbia. This needs to be good from Ljubinic. Instead, it is good from Mohamed. A big mess. Azraq cleaning up all kinds of messes for Iran in this one. Opposites for show. Liberos for Do. Set point. And they're going to have a swing for it, Iran. It's out wide to Montezer. And we're going five. From Iran. And it'll be the best mustache in the game to start us off. Gajovic gets the fifth and final set underway. Gajovic substituted immediately. So that's one sub down for Serbia. Ljubinic. There you go. He is not here to mess around. Montezer with the top spinner. Klujevic was tentative there. Stefanovic got himself in a position to do something a little better from Ljubinic this time. But this could be 4-1. This is 4-1. Agparat crushes it. And here's Yousef. A well-rounded performance himself. Ljubinic. Oh my goodness. Yeah, Mohamed. Peric is going to be wide open. I would agree with you and don't call me short. Look at that touch. But it's opportunity. Iran are well played again. A little shorter. The right idea. Wrong execution. And that opens it up for Agparat. Fadja Sadat coming in wearing number six. That was some service. Surely they've got to start setting it somewhere else other than Ljubinic. Because otherwise. Side out and more required from Serbia. Well, they've saved the first one. Klujevic. Ljubinic. Game's top scorer. 27 points. Looks like he's lost control of that toss. And he has. Well, the range of emotions for Iran. Some sink to the floor. Others embrace.