Nakhon, Ratchasima, Thailand, September 21, 2008 -- Teams with greater experience continued their unbeaten run on Day two of the inaugural Asian Men’s Cup Volleyball Championship at The Mall’s MCC Hall on Sunday, with the Doha Asian Games Korea stunning world number 10 China in a clash of Titans. In other matches, Australia and Japan clinched their second victories while Iran tasted their first win.

In the first Match of the day, Korea edged China 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 23-25, 30-28, 15-13), Australia downd Indonesia in straight set (26-24, 25-17, 27-25), Iran beat Thailand 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-19) and Japan defeated Chinese Taipei 3-2 (26-28, 21-25, 25-22, 25-10, 15-9).

After twoday’s competition, Korea is leading Pool with four points from two matches, China and Iran placed second with three points, followed by Thailand with two points. In Pool B, Australia and Japan both improved their record to a perfect two wins and Chinese Taipei and Indonesia with two defeats.

The much-awaited battle between Saturday’s winners Korea and China was intensivelt contested with the highly spirited Koreans fighting back from a 1-2 deficit to overcome Beijing Olympic quarterfinallists China in five sets.

Korea clicnched the first set with ease but China fought back to take the next two sets with small margin, taking a 2-1 advantage. In the fourth set, Korea saved three match points to level the score at 24-24. From then, both teams came out with the similar standard to equalize 26-26, 27-27 and 28-28. Korea carried out a better form to win the close set 30-28, forcing the match into the tiebreaker.

In the do-or-die decider, the Koreans took the initial lead 6-3, thanks largely to Park’s devastating cross-court spikes. However, China counter-attacked well to close the margin 9-9. At 12-12, the Koreans stretched it to 14-12 before the 210cm-tall Chinese Bian Hogmin’s spike went unanswered to narrow the gap 13-14. Korea still played cool without pressure to win the set 15-13 and the hard-fought 3-2 match.

In the second encounter between tall and towering Australia and Indonesia, world number 13 and the Asian champions Aussies marched on their supremacy after pulling off a convincing a straight-set (26-24 25-17 27-25) triumph over the South East Asian Games winners Indonesia.

Meanwhile, unfancied Thailand, world number 31 and sixth in the previous Asian Championship, could not break the deadlock in their Group A tie when they went down to world number 24 Iran in straight sets 25-23 25-23 25-19.

“We did a good job only in the first two sets, but due to blocking and spiking errors, we lost the fight. I think Iran are stronger than us. They also had the greater experience with more individual talents,” Thai head coach Monchai Supajirakul commented after the match.

“It’s a pity we lost our touch at the end of first two sets. Our game analysis was not that good despite the fact that we led initially in those sets. We stood a better chance of winning both sets, but my players just let their chance slip through their fingers.

“We next take on South Korea. They are much stronger than us and it’s too difficult to beat them. Therefore, I might rest my best players including Wanchai Tabwises for the knock-out round instead. We have to take on the Group B winners - either Japan or Australia. I hope my boys could make it to the semi-finals.”

The day’s last match between a newly-formed Japan and Chinese Taipei saw the former struggle hard to power past the challenging latter in a close five-setter 26-28 21-25 25-22 25-10 15-9.

The AVC Men’s Cup Volleyball Championship is drawing the top eight teams from last year’s Asian Senior Championships, which are divided into two pools for the preliminary round and to decide their rankings in their pool for the quarterfinals.