Al Rayyan players celebrate after winning the title.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Al Rayyan clinched the historic title at the inaugural AVC Men’s Champions League beating Japan’s Osaka Bluteon 25–19, 25–22, 25–17 in straight sets in the final at Shimadzu Arena in Kyoto, Japan.
Noumory Keita excelled for the winners with a match-high 21 points in the title clash.
Keita was unstoppable throughout the match, contributing 17 kills and 4 aces. Fellow star Abdel-Aziz Nimir added 15 points, including 12 kills, 2 blocks, and an ace. No Osaka Bluteon player reached double digits, with Shoma Tomita leading the team with 9 points (7 kills), followed by Larry Ik Evbade-Dan and Yuji Nishida with 9 and 6 points respectively.
Al Rayyan outperformed Osaka Bluteon in all facets of the game, registering 37 attack points to their opponent’s 29. They also held the edge in blocks (9–7), service aces (5–0), and capitalized on more opponent errors (24–22).
“It’s been a great experience playing here. I’ve grown alongside Nimir and the rest of the team. I’m still young and learning, and I’ve gained so much from this tournament,” said Keita in a post-match interview on court.
Coming off a thrilling 3–2 semifinal win over SV.League champions Suntory Sunbirds, Al-Rayyan proved their dominance once again, this time defeating a formidable Osaka Bluteon side led by Japanese star Yuji Nishida.
The victory added another significant chapter to Al-Rayyan’s decorated legacy, which includes 13 Qatar Cup titles, 16 Emir Cup trophies, consecutive West Asian Club Championships in 2023 and 2024, and silver medals at the 2013 and 2014 Asian Club Championships.
In yesterday’s final, Nimir, who had posted a staggering 40 points in the semifinal, opened strong with three consecutive points.
But as his rhythm faded, Keita stepped up with a devastating display of mid-court and back-row attacks. Nishida struggled with consistency, while Miguel Angel Castro Lopez faced challenges breaking through Al Rayyan’s towering block. The visitors took the first set with authority.
Keita continued to dazzle in the second set, combining powerful jump serves with precise attacks. Although Osaka Bluteon briefly found their footing, narrowing the deficit to 21–23 through improved blocking and Lopez’s resilience, Keita closed the door with a blistering crosscourt spike following Lopez’s off-the-block point.
The third set saw Al Rayyan race ahead to a 6–1 lead. Despite spirited efforts from Tomita and Kenta Otsuka, the home team couldn’t break through the Qatari block.
Al Rayyan maintained control with relentless pressure from Keita and Nimir, pulling away to a 19–17 lead before ending the match on a six-point scoring run. AVC
