Second Round: Road to the Final Six!

POOL E @ Milan
Netherlands – Russia 0-3 (17-25, 16-25, 21-25)
Russia ruin the Dutch team’s plans: The Netherlands didn’t manage to make another surprise at the World Champioship. After won against Brazil and France in the first round, the Dutch team was destroyed by a too strong Russia, a team which needed a victory to stay in the race for the Final Six! The next two games will be crucial for Russia, they need win them all, for claim with security the ticket for Torino. Russia didn’t have any difficulties in this match, Dmitry Volkov was the top scorer of the match with 15 points, while Dmitry Muserskiy added 13, while Thijs Ter Horst had 13 on the other side!

Italy – Finland 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-16)
Six out of six, Italy didn’t have any difficulties in the match against Finland. Blengini’s team opted for the same six starting players from the last match in Florence, with Maruotti instead of Lanza. After a discreet start, 10-10, Finland, took a two-point advantage at 13-11. Italy don’t give up and with the good performance of Osmany Juantorena Italy took an advantages 19-17 and this is the end of first set. 25-20. The second set was always in the hands of Italy, another level’s team, who reached the first advantage 8-4. Finland coach Sammelvuo tried to change the match by replacing Krastins with Ronkainen but Italy fly away until 20-16. The powerful services of Italy closed the set 25-18. Third set withot story, Italy’s volleyball is too much for Finland, and soon the score fly to 8-16. And this ia really the end of the match. Osmany Juantorena and Ivan Zaytsev topped the list of the best scorers with 14 points each, while on the other side Urpo Sivula scored 12 points.

POOL F @ Bologna
Brazil – Australia 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-15)
Brazil destroyed Australia with a compelling straight-set victory, upping their record to 5-1 on top of the current pool standings and leaving the rival out of contention for the spots in the next round. Renan Dal Zotto’s team are marching toward the World Championship Final Six! Brazil started off their journey in Round 2 of the FIVB Men’s World Championship in the best way, outclassed Australia 3-0 in a match wothout story in Bologna, thus recording their fifth victory so far. Wallace De Souza together with Luiz Felipe ‘Lipe’ Fonteles and Douglas Souza make the difference, and led Brazilian team towards the very important win. Douglas Souza was the top scorer with 13 points, while Wallace de Souza added 12 and Fonteles 11. In Australian side, Lincoln was the best scorer of the match with 16 points.

Belgium – Slovenia 0-3 (26-28, 26-28, 19-25)
Slovenia defeat Belgium in three sets, a very important victory. It was a difficult match for both team, especially in the first two sets, when the teams pushed to the limits, playing a high-level volleyball. Three players had double digits in Slovenia: Cebulj 17, Gasparini 14 and Urnaut 13, while on the other side Sam Deroo scored 14 points and Bram Van Den Dries 11.

POOL G @ Sofia
USA – Canada 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 21-25, 25-17)
USA extended their unbeaten run to six matches at the World Championship after dominating Canada in the North American derby. Canada started the week as Pool B leaders, but followed up with three defeats in a row. USA has destroyed Canada at the start of the World Championship second round group stage. Canada have managed to take one set to surprise the USA, but only this. John Speraw’s team had an absolut control of the match, except in the third set, but the americans took the win and made a huge step towards the Final Six. Matt Anderson was the top scorer of the match with 22 points, while Aaron Russell scored 17 points and Max Holt 14. In Canada, John Perrin scored 17 and Nicholas Hoag ended a game with 12 points. This 6-0 streak is USA’s best start ever at a World Championship.

Bulgaria – Iran 3-1 (25-19, 28-26, 26-24)
Bulgaria take her revenge on Iran. The co-host of the World Championship have scored a very important win on the first match of second round! Even though the match was finished in straight sets, it was not an easy match for Bulgaria. There were played two extended set, the second: 28-26, and the third 26-24. In the first set, Bulgaria started well, playing high level, creating a 5-0 and later 9-2 advantages! Todor Skrimov hammered out a record seven aces in the match to help his nation achieve their 100th victory in the history of the World Championships, and the same Todor Skrimov was also the top scorer of the match with 18 points while Valentin Bratoev added 17. In Iran, three players scored 12 points each: Ebadipour, Sharifi and Ghafour. Bulgaria and Iran have now the same score: 4-2.

POOL H @ Varna
Serbia – France 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 25-20, 18-25, 18-16)
Epic battle in Varna: Serbia defeat France after seven years! Serbia was waiting for the win against France since 2011. After a great battle, they managed to win the match in five sets and to make a huge step towards the final six! Epic battle also between two opposites: Aleksandar Atanasijevic scored 38 points, while Stephen Boyer had 36.
France opened the game in a much better way, and won the first set 25-22! In the second set, France continued playing like in the first part of the match, creating a huge advantage 16-11! However, Nikola Grbic’s team didn’t want to surrender, and at the result 24-22 for France, Jovovic’s services made a lot of problems to the French team also making a pressure to the french setter Benjamin Toniutti. 1-1, with two great serbian blocks. The match was uncertain until the end, in tie break Serbia saved three match points and then Uros Kovacevic scored an ace for the win! Serbia are now on a five-match winning streak.

Poland – Argentina 2-3 (25-16, 19-25, 23-25, 25-23, 14-16)
The reigning champions of Poland have suffered the first defeat at the World Championship! Argentina have surprised Vital Heynen’s team by beating them in five-sets battle. It was a tense and hard match, with many ups and downs. A curiosity: Argentina stop the streak on 27-matches losing against Poland in major world-level competitions, running since 1998! Cristian Poglajen was the best scorer in Argentina with 14 points, while Artur Szalpuk scored 17 points. Now Argentina now a 3-3 score, while Poland have 5-1.