Doha: Qatar’s national volleyball team will play its fourth friendly match against Iran on Tuesday at the Qatar Volleyball Association hall. The match is part of the team’s final preparations for the World Championship, which the Philippines will host from September 12 to 28. This marks the team’s second-ever appearance at the global finals.

According to Qatar News Agency, in their previous friendly match, Qatar lost to Iran by three sets to one, with scores of (23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 21-25). The coaching staff, led by Argentine Camilo Soto, played all team members across the four sets against Iran. This strategy aimed to give every player an opportunity and test various tactical approaches ahead of the world competition.

Player Rahimi is scheduled to undergo knee surgery on September 7 and will miss the World Championship. The current training camp follows two friendly matches against Egypt on August 25 and 26, which ended in a 2-2 tie. The coaching staff of both teams had agreed to this format to give playing time to as many players as possible and refine the team’s tactical elements.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian national team is set to arrive in Doha on Tuesday afternoon. They will hold training sessions at the association hall in preparation for three friendly matches against Qatar’s national team on September 4, 6, and 7. This will be the final stop for Qatar before the team’s delegation departs for Manila on September 9 to compete in the tournament.

The World Championship draw placed Qatar in a challenging Group B alongside world number one and defending champion Poland, as well as the Netherlands and Romania. Qatar will begin its campaign against the Netherlands on September 13, followed by a match against Poland on September 15, and will conclude the group stage against Romania on September 17. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16.

This is Qatar’s second global appearance after its first participation in the 2022 edition held in Poland and Slovenia. This experience gives the players a strong boost and a chance to hone their skills before facing top international teams.