Iran’s Water Polo Team Starts Strong at the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships With a 14–9 Victory Over China

Tehran - BORNA - According to the Iranian Aquatics Federation, Team Iran, competing in Group A of the tournament, dominated from the opening minutes and secured a decisive win that paves the way for its advance to the semifinals.

This victory carries added significance, as the two teams had met in last year’s Asian Championship semifinals, where the match ended 9–9 in regular time before Iran narrowly lost to China in a penalty shootout, missing out on a place in the final.

In today’s match, the Iranian players delivered a commanding performance, showcasing strong defense, effective teamwork, and clinical finishing that left little room for the Chinese side to recover. The 14–9 scoreline reflects Iran’s sharp preparation and determination to improve on last year’s results.

In the current edition of the Asian Aquatics Championships, Group A features Iran, China, Hong Kong, and Uzbekistan, while Group B includes Japan, Singapore, Kazakhstan, India, and Thailand.

Upcoming fixtures for Team Iran (Group Stage):

Sunday, October 5: Iran vs. Hong Kong — 13:30 local time

Monday, October 6: Iran vs. Uzbekistan — 10:30 local time

Team Iran roster:

Hamed Karimi, Amirhossein Amirian, Amirreza Jalilipour, Mehdi Barzegari, Omid Aghaei Karim, Farbod Behzadsabouri, Ashkan Iranpour, Farbod Barghaei, Amin Ghooydel, Alireza Mehri, Arman Shams, Mersad Adham, Mehdi Yazdankhah, Mehrab Golestani Rad, Erfan Sadrnia.

Technical and coaching staff:

Head of delegation: Sirous Taherian

Technical director: Dajan Milakovic

Head coach: Mehdi Panam Tash

Assistant coach: Amirhoshang Hamrahi

Analyst: Alireza Shadpi

Sports psychologist: Dr. Saber Mehri

Physiotherapist: Hamed Taee

With this strong start, Iran has positioned itself as one of the top contenders for a podium finish in the 2025 Asian Aquatics Championships.

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