Iran beats Cuba to earn first win of second week in Volleyball Nations League

Iran men's national volleyball team beat Cuba 3-1 in the second week of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League to earn its first win of the week.

Scraper SystemJune 28, 2026, 08:22 PM

Iran beats Cuba to earn first win of second week in Volleyball Nations League

Iran gets first win of second week

Iran's men's national volleyball team defeated Cuba 3-1 in the second week of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL). Team Melli won the first two sets 25-22 and 25-21, while Cuba took the third set 25-20. Keeping its composure under pressure in the fourth set, Iran beat its opponent 30-28 to close out the match.

Hajipour stands out on offense

Iran's outside hitter Ali Hajipour led the victory with 19 points on the scoreboard. Hajipour made crucial contributions in the final set in particular with critical points. Cuba, despite the performance of Marlon Yant Herrera who was the match's top scorer with 23 points, left the court with a defeat.

Moral boost after tough opponents

The win was the first of a difficult second week for Iran under coach Roberto Piazza. Iran started the week by losing 3-2 to Olympic champion France, then lost to the United States without winning a set. The team then pushed Japan to five sets but lost 3-2 for its third defeat of the week.

Eyes on the third week

The victory against Cuba provided a morale boost for Iran ahead of the decisive third week of the VNL in July. Team Melli will face Ukraine, Germany, Slovenia and Turkey in the third week. With these matches, Iran aims to gain momentum and improve its standing ahead of the final stage of the tournament.