Iran coach Raul Lozano underscored their 16 blocks was key to victory
Tokyo, Japan, June 1, 2016 – Iran coach Raul Lozano mentioned that their 16 blocks against Japan was one of the key factors in their victory, while Japan coach Masashi Nambu cited that their loss was determined by their mistakes in the match.
Iran coach Raul Lozano: “This was a very important match for us and Japan. We had a better attack and block and that is why we won this game. We had 16 blocks and that is one of the things that helped us to win. Ghafour did not play tonight. We will wait until he is 100 per cent. We have two players at that position - Ghafour and Mahmoudi. They both play well, so neither is designated as the starter or reserve.”
Iran captain Mir Saied Marouflakrani: “Today was important for both sides. They were playing at home and that can be tough for them. We struggled at the start, but started serving better in the second set and served well in the fourth set. We have to forget this victory because we have an important match tomorrow morning. I think we did our best today.”
Japan coach Masashi Nambu: “This was a match we could not lose. There was a lot at stake. We were not too bad. We showed some good things, but the loss was determined by our mistakes. It was a small margin. Unfortunately with the loss we only have a slim chance to go to Rio. It's a tough situation. We will do our best in the remaining three matches.”
Japan captain Kunihiro Shimizu: “We were in a difficult situation. We had to win. Both teams played good volleyball. They kept their concentration with their service and that was the difference. We could not come back against them. I was not able to get past their blocks. I should have had more composure and scored more.”
Japan player Yuta Yoneyama: “We had to win today and we could not pull through. It’s a pity we won the second set but made mistakes at crucial moments. We were determined to play this game but could not win. This is my last chance to go to the Olympics. I'm 31 now, so the younger players will be able to be in Tokyo 2020.”
Japan player Yuki Ishikawa: “We could not score in situations when we should have. We need to grow more and do our best tomorrow.”