South Korea men's volleyball suffers narrow five-set loss to China, finishes second in group; to face favorite Iran in quarterfinals [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] South Korea men's national volleyball team suffered a heartbreaking loss to China after a fierce five-set battle in the final group-stage match of the 2026 Asian Games.
South Korea, ranked 25th in the world and coached by Isanae Ramirez, lost 2-3 to China, ranked 35th, in the third match of Group D at the 2026 Asian Games at Park Arena Komaki in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th. The set scores were 27-25, 23-25, 21-25, 25-22 and 12-15.
South Korea had previously defeated the Philippines and Taiwan in succession. Despite the loss, it finished the group stage with a 2-1 record and seven points, advancing to the quarterfinals in second place in Group D behind unbeaten China. South Korea will face Iran, the Group B winner ranked 19th in the world, at 1 p.m. on October 1 for a place in the semifinals. Iran is a powerful favorite to win and the defending champion, having swept the gold medal at the past three editions. South Korea therefore faces a difficult quarterfinal.
South Korea put up an even fight against China, the runner-up at the 2022 Hangzhou Games. Star attacker Heo Su-bong of Hyundai Capital Services scored 17 points, while middle blocker Sang-Hyeon Lee of the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps added 14 points, including eight blocks.
South Korea seized the initiative in the first set when Heo Su-bong delivered a powerful service ace after a closely contested battle that went beyond 24-24, winning 27-25. However, the teams remained evenly matched late in both the second and third sets, and South Korea conceded both after being stopped by China's blocking wall.
With South Korea on the brink of elimination in the fourth set, middle blocker Jun-Hyeok Choi of Korean Air helped steady the team by scoring five points, including three blocks. At 16-9, Lim Sung-jin of the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps injured his ankle while landing and had to be carried off in a wheelchair. Despite the setback, South Korea maintained its focus, won the set 25-22 and forced a fifth set.
South Korea fell behind 4-8 early in the fifth set as its reception faltered, but the team showed resilience after bringing on Hojin Shin of Hyundai Capital Services and Jae-Young Lim of Korean Air to tie the score at 8-8. However, at 12-13, South Korea conceded painful consecutive points and ultimately lost the match 12-15. 

[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter