LAHORE - Pakistan faced a setback in their journey at the ongoing Asian Volleyball Championship in Iran as they were defeated 3-1 by Korea in their second group game on Monday. 

According to Pakistan Volley­ball Federation (PVF) spokesman, Korea secured their victory with set scores of 26-28, 25-20, 32-30, and 25-22. The match was char­acterized by its closely contested nature, with the exception of the second set where Korea dominat­ed with a five-point lead. Although Pakistan displayed a remarkable performance in the first set, mak­ing an impressive comeback from a 15-18 deficit to clinch a 28-26 win, they were unable to main­tain their momentum and surren­dered the subsequent three sets. 

In the second set, both teams engaged in a fierce battle, with the score tied at 16-16 for a significant period. However, the Korean team proved unyielding and managed to secure the set with a score of 25-20. The third set witnessed in­tense competition, with the match tied once again at 25-25. Despite Pakistan managing to claim a one-point lead on three occasions during the set, they were unable to outmaneuver the Korean side, resulting in a narrow 32-30 loss. 

The fourth set continued the trend of closely contested ex­changes, yet Pakistan’s efforts were ultimately thwarted by the resilient Korean team, result­ing in a 25-22 victory for Korea. Pakistan began the tournament with a strong start, defeating Bangladesh 3-0 in their open­ing game on Sunday. This victory ensured Pakistan’s progression to the next round, as Bangladesh suffered defeats in both of their group matches.