VNL 2022: Three points for The Netherlands and Argentina. Japan defeat Italy at tie break!
3 min read
A thrilling Pool 3 in Quezon City, Philippines, continued today with other three matches.
In first, Abdel-Aziz counts to 31!
The Netherlands beat Germany in four sets (22:25, 31:29, 25:23, 25:16) with an amazing performance by their opposite, who grounded 31 points!Twan Wiltenburg also contributed with 4 winning blocks.
With this victory, the Netherlands has returned to the playoff zone, while the rivals suffered third defeat in a row, including the one controversially lost to China by a forfeit due to a disagreement with the anti-covid protocol applied, and their entering to the final phase slowly fades away….
In second match of the day, led by a very good Bruno Lima, author
of 25 points, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalists Argentina put the losing streak of four games to an end by beating China 3-1 (25:22, 22:25, 25:22, 25:22).
In third and last match of the day, Nishidaās and Ishikawaās huge serving helps Japan to end Italyās winning streak!
European champions fell to probably the most pleasant surprise of the competition, the national team of Japan, one of the best teams in the Nations League 2022 so far, who worked hard also today to add another victory to their tally.
And this was a notable one!
With a great five-set triumph (25:20, 21:25, 24:26, 25:19, 15:13) in which they were backed up by the majority of the fans in a crowded arena in Quezon City, the Asian side got itself the third win in a row and an amazing 5-1 record, the same record as each of the top four teams France, Poland, Japan, and the USA, in that order.
As for Italy, their four-game winning streak came to an end and they are now at 4-2. The match was a contest between Italian blocking efficiency (14-2), and Japanese great power from the service line (14-3). Yuji Nishida, as a great opposite, was the most prolific player of the game with 28 points with 5 aces, while his teammate Yuki Ishikawa served one ace more. Good performance also for Akihiro Yamauchi, who had 72.22% attack (14/18).
On other side of the net, outside hitters Daniele Lavia and Alessandro Michieletto, who were playing in just their second match in the VNL 2022, were the most prolific players with 22 (18 attacks, three winning blocks and one ace) and 16 (14 attacks and two blocks) points respectively.
āServing was really important for us today, but also our blocking and defense,ā said Ishikawa after the match. āThe crowd was great and pushed us the entire time. We wouldnāt have made it without them and their energy.ā
š| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
France 15
Poland 15
Japan 15
USA 14
Italy 13
Brazil 12
The Netherlands 12
Slovenia 9
Iran 9
Serbia 8
Germany 7
Argentina 7
China 6
Canada 6
Bulgaria 6
Australia 2
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— June 21, 2022 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) Slovenia – The Netherlands 0-3 (17:25, 21:25, 24:26)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Argentina – Japan 1-3 (25:27, 18:25, 25:17, 16:25)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
ā¢ 17:00 (Local Time) Australia – Canada 1-3 (25:18, 26:28, 19:25, 22:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 20:00 (Local Time) Iran – Bulgaria 0-3 (19:25, 23:25, 24:26)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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— June 22, 2022 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) China – France 0-3 (0:25, 0:25, 0:25)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Germany – Italy 0-3 (16:25, 21:25, 22:25)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
ā¢ 17:00 (Local Time) Brazil – Poland 1-3 (16:25, 25:22, 16:25, 22:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 20:00 (Local Time) Serbia – USA 1-3 (24:26, 25:23, 23:25, 20:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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— June 23, 2022 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 11:00 (Local Time) France – The Netherlands 3-0 (25:14, 25:23, 25:13)
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) China – Germany 3-0 (25:0, 25:0, 25:0)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Argentina – Slovenia 1-3 (20:25, 29:27, 18:25, 19:25)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
ā¢ 13:30 (Local Time) Poland – Canada 3-0 (25:16, 25:18, 25:16)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 16:30 (Local Time) Serbia – Brazil 0-3 (18:25, 24:26, 17:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 20:00 (Local Time) USA – Iran 0-3 (18:25, 27:29, 25:27)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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— June 24, 2022 —
šš¼ Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 11:00 (Local Time) Germany – The Netherlands 1-3 (25:22, 29:31, 23:25, 16:25)
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) Argentina – China 3-1 (25:22, 22:25, 25:22, 25:22)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Japan – Italy 3-2 (25:20, 21:25, 24:26, 25:19, 15:13)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
ā¢ 13:30 (Local Time) Serbia – Canada 3-2 (20:25, 19:25, 25:20, 26:24, 15:11)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 16:30 (Local Time) Iran – Brazil 0-3 (28:20, 23:25, 19:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 20:00 (Local Time) Australia – Bulgaria 3-2 (21:25, 25:13, 25:22, 20:25, 17:15)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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— June 25, 2022 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 11:00 (Local Time) Argentina – The Netherlands 2-3 (25:22, 23:25, 25:20, 19:25, 13:15)
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) Japan – France 0-3 (22:25, 25:27, 16:25)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Italy – Slovenia 3-0 (25:19, 25:16, 25:21)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
ā¢ 13:30 (Local Time) Canada – Iran 0-3 (21:25, 25:27, 18:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 16:30 (Local Time) Poland – Australia 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:14)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
ā¢ 20:00 (Local Time) USA – Bulgaria 3-1 (25:12, 20:25, 26:24, 25:23)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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— June 26, 2022 —
Pool 3 – Week 2 – Quezon City šµš
ā¢ 11:00 (Local Time) Germany – France 1-3 (16:25, 19:25, 25:19, 21:25)
ā¢ 15:00 (Local Time) Japan – Slovenia 3-1 (25:21, 22:25, 25:18, 25:19)
ā¢ 19:00 (Local Time) Italy – China 3-0 (25:21, 25:18, 25:19)
Pool 4 – Week 2 – Sofia š§š¬
13:30 (Local Time) Serbia – Australia
16:30 (Local Time) USA – Poland
20:00 (Local Time) Bulgaria – Brazil
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