Iran’s national women’s handball team achieved a historic victory over China in their opening match at the 3rd Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Iran faced
China — the reigning Asian youth bronze medalist and defending U18 champion —
and stunned their rivals with an outstanding performance. The Iranian players
started strongly, taking a 4–0 lead that forced China’s coach to call an early
timeout. Although the Chinese side recovered to end the first half 12–11 ahead,
Iran’s players showed resilience and determination after the break.
Led by goalkeeper Zahra Afshari
and standout performer Parisan Ahmad Khosravi, the Iranian team dominated the
second half with excellent defense and sharp attacks, widening the gap as the
match progressed. In the end, Iran secured a 30–25 victory, marking the
country’s first-ever win over China in women’s handball history. This
remarkable result was described by officials as a symbol of progress for
Iranian women’s sport and a sign of growing confidence in youth handball on the
continental stage.