Iran is scheduled to meet Hon Kong in Group B on Friday.
“I am so happy to win the match,” she said. “The Philippines were very fast and agile, and they are a good team. They were defensive and played on the counter-attack, which made us work hard. The first match always has its own challenges for any team and we will get better, step by step and game by game.”
The 55-year-old admitted that the reigning champion entered this edition with some pressure, having lifted each of the previous two titles by winning every game; in fact, Soleimani was in charge when Iran triumphed at the inaugural edition in 2015 and having returned to helm the team again in Hohhot, is dreaming of glory again.
“All of Iran is waiting for the best result from us, and they want and expect us to be champions for a third time,” she said. “Winning in 2015 was one of the best times of my life – when you get your hands on the cup, it is the best feeling and I cannot compare it to anything else.”