Pakistan Beat Uzbekistan 3-0 to Qualify for Asian Games Quarter-Finals
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
NAGOYA: Pakistan secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games volleyball competition after producing a dominant 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their second Group A match on Monday.
Pakistan won the match 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium to record their second consecutive victory in the tournament.
The national side controlled the contest from the beginning and took an early lead in the opening set. Uzbekistan struggled to match Pakistan’s pace and eventually went down 25-18.
Pakistan maintained the pressure in the second set and once again finished with a seven-point advantage, winning 25-18 to move within one set of completing the victory.
Uzbekistan put up a stronger challenge in the third set and stayed closer to Pakistan on the scoreboard. However, the Pakistani players remained composed and closed out the set 25-20 to complete a straight-sets win.
Pakistan manager and former captain Naseer Ahmad praised the team’s performance after the match.
“Today we played well,” Naseer said while speaking from Japan.
He also reflected on Pakistan’s opening match against Kazakhstan, saying the team could have won that game 3-0 but needed time to settle into the competition.
Pakistan defeated Kazakhstan 3-1 in their first match on Sunday.
Naseer acknowledged that Japan would provide a much tougher challenge but said the Pakistani team would make every effort to compete strongly against the hosts.
Pakistan will face Japan in their final group match on Tuesday.
The tournament format allows the top two teams from each of the four groups to advance to the quarter-finals. Pakistan’s victories over Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have secured their place in the last eight.
The Pakistan squad includes setter Abu Bakar Siddique, outside hitters Afaq Khan, captain Murad Jehan and Usman Faryad Ali, along with opposite players Muhammad Yahya, Murad Khan and Fahad Raza.
Hamid Yazman, Jabran, Muhammad Hamad, Musawer Khan and libero Khizar Hayat are also part of the national lineup.
