Korea gives up lead to lose 3-2 to defending champs Iran in men’s volleyball quarterfinal at Asian Games

OKAZAKI, Japan — Korea lost a heartbreaker against the three-time defending champion Iran in the men's volleyball quarterfinals at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Thursday.

Korea won two of the first three sets before ultimately falling 3-2 with set scores of 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 against the Middle East power at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium in Japan.

The loss meant Korea has gone back-to-back Asiads without a men's volleyball medal for the first time since it first competed in the sport in 1962.

At the 2023 Asiad, Korea finished in seventh place.

Outside hitter Heo Su-bong scored a match-high 22 points in the losing cause, while opposite Im Dong-hyeok added 18 points.

Yonhap