Varna, Bulgaria, September 15, 2018 - Iran (2-0) look for their third win at the 2018 FIVB World Championship when they face Cuba (0-2) Saturday. The two sides have only met once previously in a World Championship, with the Caribbean side prevailing in straight sets in 1998 in Sapporo.
Head-to-Head
• The only previous World Championship match between Cuba and Iran came in the 1998 tournament. The Cubans won in straight sets in Sapporo.
• Cuba won each of their first four world level major tournament matches against Iran, but have lost all three since.
• The world level major tournaments are Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League.
• Iran beat Cuba in straight sets in the preliminary round of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the most recent world level major tournament match between the nations.
Cuba
• Cuba have lost their first two matches of the 2018 World Championship: 3-1 against Poland and Finland.
• Cuba could lose their first three matches at a World Championship for the second time, after 1956 when they lost their first six fixtures on their debut in the tournament.
• Including 2014, Cuba have now lost three World Championship matches in a row. They could lose four consecutive for the second time in the last 50 years, after 2002-2006.
• Miguel David Gutierrez Suarez is Cuba's tournament top scorer in 2018 with 27 points.
Iran
• Iran started their campaign with a 3-0 win over Puerto Rico and a 3-1 win over co-hosts Bulgaria.
• Iran have never won their first three matches at a single World Championship. In 2014, they won the first two, before losing 3-1 to France in their third match.
• Iran have now won five world level major tournament matches in a row. They could win six straight for the first time ever.
• Seyed Mohammed Mousavi Eraghi and Mohammadjavad Manavinezhad are Iran's most prolific scorers at the 2018 World Championship thus far, with 22 points each.