VNL 2023: preliminary round almost over! All results of July 9

With only two games still to be played, with one decisive to determine the name of last team qualified to the Finals in Gdansk, Poland, from 19 to 23 July, last games of preliminary round of 2023 Volleyball Nations League were played in Pool 5 and Pool 6.
7 teams are already qualified, while the last one will be an affair between Serbia who, last European night surpassed Bulgaria with a clear 3-0, and Olympic Champions France who, despite a battle lasted three sets, suffered a straight sets defeat (25:23, 27:25, 27:25) against Pool 5 hosts USA in Anaheim, with 14 points from top scorer Aaron Russell. Defending champions will be qualified only if they will win, with any score, against Germany.
Already eliminated The Netherlands, defeated with the same score (25:20, 32:30, 25:22) by Slovenia in Pool 6 in Pasay City, Philippines, despite the 22 points from bomber Nimir Abdel-Aziz.
At this moment, who will be to the eighth place will face (almost) undefeated Japan, who remain to the top, despite the second straight defeat in a row after a perfect campaign. If yesterday Italy inflicted them the first one, today Poland celebrated a clear 0-3 (17:25, 19:25, 18:25) win, and Nikola Grbic side is now second but, if USA will win the last game against Bulgaria, will be surpassed again to face Brazil in quarterfinals.
The last pair already definer is, for now, the one between Italy and Argentina, at fifth place together with the same number of points of World and European champions, thanks to the 3-2 (25:19, 28:30, 27:29, 25:20, 15:11) win over Iran (who, late in European night, played another tie break suffering another defeat against Cuba, 3-2 partially 25:22, 26:28, 25:23, 28:30 and 15:10).
Close the picture the very important victory of Canada over China, 1-3 (25:23, 21:25, 17:25, 18:25).
With this result, that bears the signature of Maar and Sclater with 20 points each, the winners avoided last place and relegation in Challenger Cup.
To fight to avoid it, only the same China as Cuba needed only one set in their last game against Iran, and they did it, by winning the game at tie break (as already mentioned above).
Cuba in fact just needed to win a set in order to avoid relegation. Instead, they won three to celebrate a hard-fought five-set victory, which propelled them to the 13th place in the final ranking on a 3-9 win-loss record and eight points, leaving the Iranians behind, in 14th on 2-10 and 11.
Opposite Jesus Herrera was the top scorer of the match with 28 points, including two aces and a block, followed by outside Miguel Lopez with 27, including three aces and two blocks. They registered a 69% and a 67% success rates in offence, respectively, while Iran’s most prolific player Bardia Saadat ended the game with 17 points, including three blocks.

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🏐| 2023 VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE

— July 09, 2023 —

Pool 5 – Week 3 – Anaheim 🇺🇸

• 17:00 (Local Time) | Argentina – Iran 3-2 (25:19, 28:30, 27:29, 25:20, 15:11)

• 20:30 (Local Time) | USA – France 3-0 (25:23, 27:25, 27:25)

• 13:30 (Local Time) | Cuba – Iran 3-2 (25:22, 26:28, 25:23, 28:30, 15:10)

Pool 6 – Week 3 – Pasay City 🇵🇭

• 11:00 (Local Time) | China – Canada 1-3 (25:23, 21:25, 17:25, 18:25)

• 15:00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – The Netherlands 3-0 (25:20, 32:30, 25:22)

• 19:00 (Local Time) | Japan – Poland 0-3 (17:25, 19:25, 18:25)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Japan 27
2. Poland 25
3. USA 28
4. Argentina 26
5. Italy 26
6. Brazil 25
7. Slovenia 25
8. Serbia 16
9. The Netherlands 17
10. France 15
11. Germany 10
12. Canada 9
13. Cuba 8
14. Iran 11
15. Bulgaria 8
16. China 6