Iran 🇮🇷 vs. Japan 🇯🇵 - Bronze Match | AVC Women's Continental Championship 2026 | Highlights

The Islamic Republic of Iran serving is Japan in red. Receiving for this bronze medal match of the ABC Women's Volleyball Continental, Ishikawa will serve. That's a really good serve. Super disguise from Sato. A work by Sato. What a serve again. It's an excellent serve. It's going to be free ball here. Two front row attackers and two back row attackers available for Japan. Great dig from Shabnam. Has to go again. Good cover. That's a super cover from Ishikawa. And then look up. Oh yes. Pick up. Played amazing and she's off doing a lap of honor. Ada. Great Japan. Another opportunity for Iran. Another chance for Iran. That is a great block. Yamaguchi. Well played. Seki serves. By Sato. Nice and deep with the swing. Chance here for Japan to score again. Good pick up. Oh well played Seki. Free ball coming for Iran. They've got two front row attackers. Shabnam is front row as well. The setter. That's a go for Khalili. She can't get the swing. It's a little bit too far inside for her. Now another chance for Iran. Once again staying in the rallies and making it difficult and then they take the point. Shying away from the middle but Sato gets the blockade. Works really well. 23-20. A little bit more comfortable now for Japan in this opening set. Nearly, nearly cricked over but nearly isn't good enough. And Japan it is. You'll take the opening set here. Away we go with set number two. Japan serving with Seki the setter and they are leading by one. Set to nothing over Iran. Set to Shabnam in the front row. Right. Here's a lovely break point start for Japan. Very close. That's a good touch. Well played Seki. Knows where Wada is. Iran have to play again and will take the point through Khalili. Changes for Iran. Mansoori's come in number two as well to recover that one out of the net. Pick up from Seki. Really good pick up. Down the block though. Superb. Well played Iran. Yamada served it straight at Negar and it's an instant side out for Iran. That's an egg serve from Rehan. Fukudomi beaten all ends up with that one. Two aces in a row for Wada. Can she make it a hat trick? No she can't. Well sided out by Aida. Had to work through the middle. Yamaguchi doesn't stop it. Good touch. Free ball for Japan. Seki's front row. Two front row attackers as well. Yamaguchi one of them. Iran again into defense mode and it's paid off. Khalili works the block. Well up. Very good take from Guzalet. As much as Seki could do but it's good enough. And scrambling. Iran with a better chance for a swing. And they've got it. Hishikawa. Can they get it done? First time of asking. Second time of asking. Iran keeping it in play. Third time of asking. Yes they can. Wada puts it to the floor. Japan take the set. On serving. Japan receiving. Japan are two sets to nothing up in this bronze medal match. Wada had that and then as soon as she saw Seki she thought oh Seki will take it but that didn't happen. Nicely played. Yamamura makes sure of that one. Shimomura with the serve. Oh dear. Two players going. Blocks there again. For Japan. That'll do. Another side out. Chance to get a break point now. Good up from Elahi. Oh what a hit. That is an incredibly good swing. Shigihara again. Good dig. Well played. Aida finds a gap. Shimomura not with that pre-serve routine. Great pick from Shabnam. Elahi will go hard again. Somehow Seki keeps it in play. And that is wonderful from Sato in an awkward position. Good up. Just got to get someone to have a swing on it. Sato. Now they've got a really good chance here. Great footwork. Seki's all over the court. Oh that's a block. That is magnificent from Iran. This side out to bring up set point. And they've done it. That is a super swing. Position one. A good place to go. A lot of traffic. They seem to transition again. This for the match and the bronze medal. And they have done it. Japan take the set. 26-24. They have beaten Iran by three sets to nothing. Japan take bronze and with it a place at the 2027 World Cup.