Iran, South Korea, Japan and Thailand made top four of the Guangzhou Asian Games men’s volleyball tournament after respective victories in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Iran rallied from one set down to defeat Qatar 16-25, 25-16, 25-23 and 25-14 for its seventh consecutive victory and a berth in the semifinals.

Mohammadkazem had 17 kills in 29 tries to score game-high 19 points for Iran with Hamzeh Zarini and Arash Kamalvand adding 12 apiece.

South Korea eased past Saudi Arabia 25-19, 25-19 and 25-17 in 64 minutes for its sixth win in a row. Kim Yo-han led the South Korean scoring with 17 points and Moon Sung-min added 13.

Reigning Asian champion Japan beat China in straight sets here Sunday afternoon to make the semifinals of the Guangzhou Asian Games men's volleyball tournament.

Kunihiro Shimizu scored 16 points and Yusuke Ishijima added 15 to lead the Japanese side to the 25-14, 25-22 and 25-23 victory in 74 minutes.

China head coach Zhou Jian’an admitted the Japanese team deserved the victory.

“We have no excuse to make, they were the better team today,” he said. “We were limited and outmatched in every aspect.”

Fifteen hours after a 3-0 defeat to Iran in the top eight play-offs, the Chinese men started slowly in the first quarterfinal match, dropping the first set without much resistance.

Japan continued its domination in the second set. Jumping to an 8-4 lead at the first technical time-out, the Japanese improved to 13-7 on back of some quality attacks from Ishijima.

China finally found back its offense and pulled it within 15-13 through a 6-2 run before Japan surged away again for a 24-20 cushion. Liang Chunlong and Zhong Weijun helped the Chinese beat off two set points and force Japan head coach Tatsuya Ueta to call a time-out, but Zhong served a ball into the net after the game resumed to surrender the set.

It was hotly contested in the third set until Japan broke a 14-all tie with a 5-1 burst. The Chinese soon answered with a 4-1 run to cut it to 20-19, but that’s the closest they could go.

Japan reaped 12 points from blocking while China only managed four.

The Chinese men, who had put their eyes on the trophy before the Asian Games, had to go to the fifth-eighth deciders.

“Our target is the London Olympic Games. I think we have a lot to improve and we have to work really hard,” Zhou added.

In the other quarterfinal clash, Thailand ousted India 25-20, 25-23 and 25-22.

South Korea will play Japan in Wednesday’s semifinals where Iran meets Thailand.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2010)