VNL 2021: all results of June 21

On the opening day of the last week of pool play, Serbia defeat Australia in four sets to remain on track for a place in the Final Four of the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.

Oluwatobi Elliot Azeez (Australia): “Positive things going forward, I think, we did a good job controlling the tenacity of our serve and when the game was playing we executed very well. It’s just a matter of consistency for further games. Serbia are a strong team, they have strong players and sometimes it’s tough to have good touches and some plays, but they are definitely a tough opponent.”

Aleksandar Atanasijevic (Serbia): “The most important thing is that we are still in the game for the Final Four. This is our main goal. The first two sets we played really good. In the third set we changed some players and we didn’t play like we expected, but the most important is that we won three points and that we managed to earn another victory. And now we are focused on tomorrow’s match against the Netherlands, which will be much more difficult than today’s game.”

On the second match, Japan defeated Bulgaria with a clear 3-0, partially 25:23, 25:18 and 25:14.

France destroy Iran to stay in contention for a ticket to the Final Four. 3-0 is the final result, partially 25:21, 25:21 and 25:19.

Milad Ebadipour (Iran): “I think it wasn’t a difficult game. We are in trouble and in a difficult situation. I have nothing to say about this game. For the first time I felt ashamed to play for our National Team and I think all players feel the same. It’s a shame to play like this on this kind of level. We cannot play like this, playing like today, we have no chance. We need to change some big things.”

Benjamin Toniutti (France): “I think after two defeats last week we wanted to come back with victory. It’s not easy, because we started to be tired, because we played many games, but today we played a good game. We had a good quality of receptions, so it was easier to play. And I’m happy because finally after leading 2-0 we won the game 3-0.”

Canada grabbed their fifth win at the competition, completely dominating the Netherlands in three sets.

Robbert Andringa (The Netherlands): “When we play without Nimir it changes the dynamic of our game, but we played without him against the USA and we played completely different than today. We cannot use it as an excuse. It’s something we have to improve on, because there will be more games when we will play without him, so it’s something we have to learn. Canada did a really good service, they changed it a lot – short, long, fast, slow and we were a step too late. We couldn’t make a sideout as easy as we wanted and on serve we made too many mistakes to keep the game close and it was the biggest difference.”

Blair Bann (Canada): “We came here trying to build up the team ahead of the Olympic Games. It’s our last weekend at the VNL and at a real competition before, so we must come out and try. We put a lot of pressure on the Netherlands with our service.”

Brazil found plenty of resistance, but defeated Italy in four sets to mathematically secure their ticket to the Final Four of the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. Ricardo Lucarelli was the best scorer with 21 points, while Yoandy Leal and Wallace de Souza contributed with 20 points each.

Riccardo Sbertoli (Italy): “It was a battle, but it was a pleasure to play against the Olympic champions. We know that this squad is preparing for the Olympic Games, so for us it was very difficult to play against such a team. It was a tight battle in the three sets and it’s an important experience for us, for our future. Their service and experience made a difference.”

Bruno Rezende: “We don’t have any easy games at this tournament. Every team has its quality and good level of volleyball. Today the Italian team showed that they are improving, week by week, so they played very well in a system of block-defence. In the third set we committed some mistakes in our attack, maybe some choices I made, but in the end it’s important that we won and made three points. And we keep pushing, we have a lot of work to do, but that’s it – we are on the right track.”

Slovenia have managed to make a huge comeback against the USA 3-2 (28:30, 25:19, 21:25, 28:26, 15:13) and to keep a huge chance for advancing to the Final Four.
Klemen Cebulj had a great performance, finishing the game with 27 points, while Taylor Sander was the top scorer in the USA with 21 points.

Micah Christenson (USA): “We had our chances, but we didn’t take them. Slovenia made some very good plays, but so did we. Slovenia are a very tough team, they are playing very well here and it’s good to see another team playing volleyball at this level.”

Jan Kozamernik (Slovenia): “Unbelievable game. We did an amazing job. We stayed in there with a head and I think that was the most important thing. Our mental game was on a very high level. We did an amazing job. I hope we will keep doing this and I hope that every team is going to have problems against us. We hope to win all the remaining matches, but have to go one by one. We have to focus on the next one and take as much rest as possible and bring our mental game tomorrow and try to bring home another victory.”

Poland downed Argentina in straight sets to stay right on track for a ticket to the semifinals of the competion.

Federico Pereyra (Argentina): “It’s not easy to play against Poland. They are one of the best teams in the world. We couldn’t equal their level in attack and that was key. They played much better today.”

Fabian Drzyzga (Poland): “I think that our team struggled with some problems in block-defence during the entire game, but we had good transition and it’s why we won the game. Also our solid play from the beginning until the end was important, there were no ups and downs, only block-defence could be better, but this is volleyball and sometimes not everything is perfect.”

Also Russia remain on track for a ticket to the Final Four of the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League after a late night four-set win over Germany.

Florian Krage (Germany): “Obviously, Russia are a very strong team, but we had good matches against really good teams, so we knew that we always have a chance. But in this match they did very few service errors and put on us a lot of pressure and than it was really hard to find our rhythm. Also we had not the best choices in attack and then they just started to serve even better and play smart.”

Igor Kobzar (Russia): “It’s so late that I can only say that it was a really hard game, because I prefer to go to bed approximately at 10pm. I think that service was key to our victory. When we served well we had advantage on them. Then we could play our volleyball.”

After Brazil took the first spot for the Final Four, there are still 3 spots available and 5 teams fighting for it: Italy and Slovenia have a huge chance to book a ticket each while France, Russia and Serbia will likely fight for fourth place…

FIVB VNL 2021 – Results & Program

May 28, 2021 –
France – Bulgaria 3-0 (27:25, 25:21, 25:23)
Germany – Australia 3-0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:16)
Japan – Iran 3-0 (25:19, 25:22, 26:24)
Serbia – Slovenia 3-1 (22:25, 25:18, 36:34, 25:18)
The Netherlands – Russia 1-3 (19:25, 22:25, 25:18, 20:25)
USA – Canada 3-0 (25:17, 26:24, 25:20)
Poland – Italy 3-0 (25:19, 25:20, 25:18)
Brazil – Argentina 3-0 (31:29, 26:24, 25:16)
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May 29, 2021 –
Germany – France 2-3 (25:22, 22:25, 25:22, 16:25, 15:17)
Iran – Russia 1-3 (17:25, 25:20, 20:25, 17:25)
The Netherlands – Japan 2-3 (25:22, 25:23, 22:25, 17:25, 8:15)
Australia – Bulgaria 0:3 (21:25, 20:25, 20:25)
Poland – Serbia 3-1 (26:24, 25:19, 21:25, 25:15)
Italy – Slovenia 0-3 (23:25, 19:25, 15:25)
Argentina – Canada 0-3 (17:25, 21:25, 17:25)
USA – Brazil 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 19:25)
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May 30, 2021 –
Australia – France 1-3 (26:28, 25:20, 14:25, 23:25)
The Netherlands – Iran 0-3 (18:25 23:25, 28:30)
Germany – Bulgaria 3-2 (19:25, 25:21, 22:25, 30:28, 15:11)
Russia – Japan 2-3 (26:28, 28:26, 25:20, 21:25, 14:16)
USA – Argentina 3-1 (23:25, 25:21, 25:15, 25:19)
Canada – Brazil 1-3 (17:25, 20:25, 25:22, 25:27)
Poland – Slovenia 1-3 (22:25, 25:23, 19:25, 23:25)
Serbia – Italy 3-1 (25:23, 22:25, 25:22, 25:18)
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June 3, 2021 –
Germany – Argentina 2-3 (19:25, 25:23, 25:17, 23:25, 13:15)
Iran – Canada 3-1 (22:25, 25:22, 25:22, 25:22)
Japan – Serbia 1-3 (25:18, 23:25, 22:25, 13:25)
Brazil – France 0-3 (37:39, 18:25, 28:30)
The Netherlands – Slovenia 0-3 (18:25, 15:25, 18:25)
Australia – Poland 0-3 (16:25, 10:25, 12:25)
Italy – Bulgaria 3-2 (25:19, 20:25, 25:13, 23:25, 15:12)
Russia – USA 3-1 (25:22, 25:19, 17:25, 25:19)
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June 4, 2021 –
Argentina – Slovenia 0-3 (19:25, 22:25, 18:25)
The Netherlands – Germany 3-2 (25:18, 23:25, 25:20, 23:25, 15:13)
Brazil – Japan 3-0 (25:20, 25:16, 25:20)
Serbia – France 3-2 (22:25, 24:26, 25:22, 25:23, 15:9)
Iran – Italy 3-1 (26:24, 29:27, 21:25, 25:22)
Poland – USA 3-0 (25:17, 28:26, 25:17)
Russia – Australia 3-0 (25:19, 26:24, 25:21)
Canada – Bulgaria 3-0 (28:26, 25:23, 25:16)
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June 5, 2021 –
The Netherlands – Argentina 0-3 (19:25, 20:25, 23:25)
Slovenia – Germany 1-3 (25:19, 20:25, 21:25, 20:25)
France – Japan 3-2 (21:25, 25:22, 24:26, 25:21, 15:11)
Brazil – Serbia 3-1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:15, 25:22)
Russia – Poland 1-3 (25:21, 19:25, 19:25, 14:25)
USA – Australia 3-0 (25:23, 25:20, 25:17)
Bulgaria – Iran 0-3 (20:25, 31:33, 22:25)
Canada – Italy 2-3 (19:25, 21:25, 25:21, 28:26, 11:15)
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June 9, 2021 –
Serbia – Germany 3-1 (19:25, 25:22, 25:18, 25:15)
Japan – Australia 3-1 (25:18, 21:25, 28:26, 26:24)
France – Russia 3-1 (22:25, 25:18, 30:28, 25:19)
Slovenia – Canada 3-0 (25:22, 25:19, 25:22)
Argentina – Italy 0-3 (28:30, 21:25, 20:25)
Iran – USA 3-0 (25:19, 25-23, 25:23)
Poland – Bulgaria 3-0 (25:19, 25:15, 25:12)
The Netherlands – Brazil 0-3 (19:25, 22:25, 25:27)
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June 10, 2021 –
Serbia – Iran 3-2 (21:25, 25:15, 26:28, 25:22, 15:8)
Russia – Canada 3-1 (25:18, 25:18, 23:25, 25:23)
France – Slovenia 2-3 (25:17, 25:19, 23:25, 19:25, 9:15)
Argentina – Australia 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:20)
Germany – USA 0-3 (12:25, 18:25, 27:29)
Bulgaria – Brazil 0-3 (16:25, 22:25, 12:25)
Japan – Italy 3-2 (21:25, 25:22, 22:25, 25:19, 15:9)
Poland – The Netherlands 3-0 (25:14, 25:17, 25:16)
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June 11, 2021 –
Iran – Germany 2-3 (25:23, 20:25, 19:25, 25:19, 13:15)
Slovenia – Russia 3-2 (19:25, 25:23, 22:25, 25:20, 15:8)
Japan – Argentina 1-3 (32:30, 16:25, 18:25, 21:25)
The Netherlands – Bulgaria 2-3 (18:25, 25:18, 25:17, 22:25, 13:15)
Australia – Italy 0-3 (20:25, 22:25, 14:25)
USA – Serbia 1-3 (23:25, 17:25, 25:19, 25:27)
Canada – France 1-3 (25:20, 21:25, 22:25, 17:25)
Poland – Brazil 0-3 (17:25, 26:28, 19:25)
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June 15, 2021 –
Russia – Serbia 3-1 (25:23, 25:22, 22:25, 25:21)
Iran – Australia 2-3 (23,25, 22:25, 25:23, 25:18, 12:15)
Argentina – Bulgaria 3-1 (25:20, 16:25, 25:18, 25:18)
Japan – Germany 3-0 (25:18, 25:22, 25:20)
Italy – USA 0-3 (15:25, 18:25, 21:25)
Canada – Poland 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 19:25)
Brazil – Slovenia 3-2 (15:25, 25:22, 19:25, 25:13, 15:12)
The Netherlands – France 3-2 (15:25, 22:25, 28:26, 25:23, 19:17)
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June 16, 2021 –
Argentina – Russia 1-3 (19:25, 23:25, 25:21, 19:25)
Serbia – Bulgaria 3-0 (25:20, 25:17, 25:17)
Slovenia – Australia 3-1 (18:25, 25:18, 25:18, 25:17)
Japan – Poland 0-3 (14:25, 18:25, 19:25)
The Netherlands – Italy 1-3 (19:25, 23:25, 25:23, 21:25)
Canada – Germany 3-0 (25:17, 26:24, 25:21)
USA – France 1-3 (23:25, 25:22, 29:31, 22:25)
Iran – Brazil 1-3 (19:25, 25:23, 19:25, 21:25)
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June 17, 2021 –
Argentina – Serbia 3-0 (27:25, 25:20, 26:24)
Bulgaria – Russia 0-3 (17:25, 22:25, 17:25)
Japan – Canada 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 18:25)
Australia – Brazil 0-3 (17:25, 22:25, 12:25)
Iran – Slovenia 1-3 (25:14, 20:25, 19:25, 30:32)
The Netherlands – USA 2-3 (25:21, 17:25, 25:23, 15:25, 13:15)
France – Italy 2-3 (19:25, 25:22, 20:25, 25:21, 12:15)
Germany – Poland 0-3 (22:25, 19:25, 20:25)
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👉🏼 June 21, 2021 –
Australia – Serbia 1-3 (16:25, 13:25, 25:19, 15:25)
Japan – Bulgaria 3-0 (25:23, 25:18, 25:14)
France – Iran 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:19)
Canada – The Netherlands 3-0 (25:16, 25:16, 25:19)
Brazil – Italy 3-1 (25:19, 32:30, 22:25, 25:20)
Slovenia – USA 3-2 (28:30, 25:19, 21:25, 28:26, 15:13)
Poland – Argentina 3-0 (25:21, 25:22, 25:18)
Germany – Russia 1-3 (18:25, 18:25, 25:23, 15:25)

👉🏼 Standings: Brazil 35, Poland 33, France 29, Russia 29, Slovenia 28, Serbia 25, Japan 19, USA 18, Argentina 17, Iran 18, Italy 16, Canada 16, Germany 13, The Nehterlands 7, Bulgaria 7, Australia 2.
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June 22, 2021 –
Canada – Australia 3-0 (25:17, 25:8, 25:20)
Serbia – The Netherlands 3-2 (25:21, 21:25, 25:18, 21:25, 17:15)
Bulgaria – USA 0-3 (19:25, 24:26, 9:25)
Iran – Poland 0-3 (20:25, 20:25, 16:25)
Japan – Slovenia 0-3 (16:25, 16:25, 26:28)
France – Argentina 3-0 (26:24, 25:21, 25:22)
Brazil – Germany 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:23)
Russia – Italy 3-2 (25:21, 16:25, 25:17, 19:25, 15:12)
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June 23, 2021 –
Australia – The Netherlands 0-3 (23:25, 19:25, 19:25)
Canada – Serbia 3-2 (17:25, 21:25, 25:17, 25:20, 17:15)
USA – Japan 3-0 (25:21, 25:23, 25:20)
France – Poland 3-2 (25:22, 21:25, 22:25, 25:20, 15:11)
Iran – Argentina 1-3 (31:33, 23:25, 32:30, 18:25)
Slovenia – Bulgaria 3-0 (25:23, 25:16, 25:18)
Italy – Germany 3-2 (25:12, 24:26, 25:22, 21:25, 15:13)
Brazil – Russia 0-3 (21:25, 26:28, 20:25)
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June 26, 2021 –
Semifinal 1: Brazil – France 3-0 (25:20, 25:18, 25:19)
Semifinal 2: Poland – Slovenia 3-0 (25:22, 25:21, 25:23)
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June 27, 2021 –
Final 3/4: France – Slovenia 3-0 (25:20, 25:18, 25:19)
Final 1/2: Brazil – Poland 3-1 (22:25, 25:23, 25:16, 25:14)
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