Lausanne, Switzerland, June 9, 2017 - Iran host defending champions Serbia in Tehran Saturday in what is the fifth match between the two sides in FIVB World League history, with the series tied at 2-2.
Head-to-Head• Last season, these teams met twice in the World League and both secured a home victory. First, Serbia won 3-1 in Novi Sad and the next weekend, Iran won 3-2 in Tehran.
• They also split victories in the World League in 2013, their only other two meetings in the competition. Both those matches took place in Tehran.
• In major competitions Serbia have beaten Iran four times and Iran have defeated Serbia two times.
Iran• Iran have won consecutive World League matches against Poland and Belgium, after beginning the 2017 campaign with defeats versus Italy and Brazil.
• Iran could win three consecutive World League matches for the first time since a run of five in a row in June 2015.
• Iran have won each of their last five World League five-setters.
• Iran have lost the opening set in eight of their last 10 World League matches.
Serbia• Reigning champions Serbia have won three of their four 2017 World League matches, also suffering a straight sets defeat against Belgium.
• Serbia opened their 2016 World League campaign with six consecutive victories, a run that was ended in five sets by Iran.
• Since the beginning of 2015, Serbia have been involved in 13 World League matches that have gone to a fifth set, more than any other country in that time period.
• Of those 13 five-set matches, Serbia won six and lost seven.