Unbeaten vs. winless. Not much to lose vs. lose and start packing for home.
That was the way the table set Wednesday in men's volleyball Pool A action at Ariaka Arena, where the respective combatants played about how you might expect. Clearly inspired, Canada kept its quarterfinals hopes alive with an emphatic three-set sweep of Iran at the Tokyo Games.
Iran, 2-0 going into the match, appeared tentative at the outset and dropped the first set in a hurry. Canada, playing with the air of urgency that comes with a must-win match after an 0-2 start, rolled with relative ease in the second set as well.
Iran's pride surfaced early in the third set, but Canada found a second wind and closed things out with little drama.
Each country plays five matches in pool play, the top four teams (out of six) advancing to the quarters.