Malian international Noumory Keita delivered a match-high 21 points to lead Qatar’s Al Rayyan to a historic title at the inaugural AVC Men’s Champions League in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday.

The Qatari side powered past hosts Japan’s Osaka Bluteon to complete a straight-sets victory 25–19, 25–22, 25–17 at the Shimadzu Arena. Both teams also directly qualified for the upcoming FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.

Keita was unstoppable throughout the match, scoring through 17 kills and four 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 nine points, followed by Larry Ik Evbade-Dan and Yuji Nishida with nine and six points each.

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 to 7), service aces (5 to 0), and capitalized on more opponent errors (24 to 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, after the win.

“I’m happy to see the fans enjoying the game. Osaka Bluteon are a strong team with players I’ve learned from, and I hope to return to Japan one day and play again in front of these amazing fans,” he added.

Coming off a thrilling 3–2 semifinal win (22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15) over SV League champions Suntory Sunbirds, Al Rayyan proved their dominance once again, this time defeating a formidable Bluteon 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.

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