TEHRAN - The winners of the two most recent editions, Italy and Iran, will go head to head for the crown at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship in Bahrain on Sunday, in a remake of the 2019 five-set final, when the Asians took the title, also in Bahrain.

 The Europeans, on the other hand, are the defending champions from 2021. In Saturday’s semifinals in Manama, Italy edged Bulgaria in four sets. Then Iran did so against Argentina. Also on Sunday, Bulgaria and Argentina will battle for the bronze medals

The Asian giants came back from a set down to celebrate a 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-20) victory.

Iran’s outside Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh scored half of his team’s eight aces and led the team’s blocking with two stuffs and the team’s offence with 19 spiking kills to top the scorers’ chart with a total of 25 points.

Mobin Nasri Mastanabad and Amir Mohammad Golzadeh added 19 and 15 points, respectively, towards the win.

 Lucas Conde was Argentina’s most productive player with 16 points, including two aces and a block.