2007 FIVB World League summary: big battle for the first place in three pools (photo attached)

Updated：2007-06-21

Lausanne, 20th June 2007 -- Two tickets for the 2007 World League Final Round have already been delivered, both for Pool D: Bulgaria and Poland (hosting country) are the first teams registered for Katowice and will be opponents in this fifth weekend. Brazil tries to lock its first place in Canada (Match of the Week for all TV broadcasters) and Korea dreams of stopping Finland. France meets Italy, while Pool B leader, U.S.A. team, flies to Japan. Russia – Cuba is the double match scheduled in Kazan. Serbia goes to Cairo planning to overtake Cuba. China has a last chance to win against host Argentina. TV record set by China – Poland: 330 Million viewer!

Serbian reception with Kovacevic and Janic

Pool A

Brazil wants to glue its first place in Pool A. The next 2007 World League stop is fixed in Canada, in the Hershey Centre in Mississauga: Canada will host Bernardinho's team on Friday and Saturday. Brazil has left Nalbert at home, the spiker had a left thigh injure during the second match played with Canada and needs to recover. While Brazil is leading Pool A with 16 points, Canada stands last with 9 points: they signed one victory in the very first match against Finland.

Friday and Saturday matches will be played also in the Yangsan Indoor Gymnasium, where Korea hosts Finland. Both teams had a tight fight last week in Turku, ending with a double 3-1 for the Finnish team. Finland currently holds the second place in the Pool with 13 points whereas Korea is chasing after Finland with 10 points. This weekend is a very crucial moment for both teams to add up points for the second place in the Pool.

Pool B

A lot of spotlights will be on Paris, since the French capital is going to host in the same days two World League matches (France – Italy) and the SWATCH FIVB Beach Volleyball Grand Slam. On Friday and Saturday, Philippe Blain's team will step into the Palais des Sports of Paris-Bercy to face Italy. Some changes in the line-up for Montali, having setter Manuel Coscione replacing Nuti. A question mark is still marked on the list beside Cernic and Farina's names. But France, too, has a problem after setter Pujol's ankle injure during the first match against Japan in Strasbourg last week.

Two members of Japan's 2006 FIVB World Championship squad will return to the fold for this weekend's World League matches at home against the United States. Libero Katsutoshi Tsumagari and middle blocker Kota Yamamura have been included in Japan's 12 for the first time this season for the Pool B games at Kumamoto City on Kyushu Island, in southern Japan. Tsumagari comes in for Osamu Tanabe, and Yamamura completes a full roster after Japan played in France last weekend with only 11 players following an injury in training to Ryu Morishige. Saturday and Sunday matches will be played in the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.

Pool C

Russia is on top of Pool C after 4 World League weekends. On Saturday and Sunday the team coached by Vladimir Alekno will play tough matches against Cuba (second place with 13 points) in Kazan, the same city where Russia have beaten Egypt twice last week.

In Cairo, Egypt – Serbia in scheduled on Friday and Sunday. Still searching for its first success in 2007 World League, Egypt has improved its game play by play and will try to challenge at its best the 2000 Olympic champions. Serbia, now third with 12 points in the Pool, wants to overtake Cuba. "In the next encounters against Egypt and Russia we need three or four victories to reach the second position and hope for the Final Tournament" says Andrija Geric, captain of the Serbian team.

Pool D

China will play against Argentina in the Sichuan Provincial Gymnasium on Saturday and Sunday. As Chinese coach Zhou Jianan states, it could be the last chance for his squad to win in the World League. Argentina will arrive in Chengdu tomorrow (Thursday): Uriarte's young team, like China, hasn't won one single game until now.

Bulgaria – Poland has no importance for the qualification, but will anyway decide on the leader of Pool D. Both teams have no loss and these matches will show two of the next participating teams in Katowice Final Round. Saturday and Sunday, in the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Martin Stoev's and Raul Lozano's teams will spike for supremacy.

Match of the week

Canada -- Brazil, to be played on Saturday, is the Match of the Week. This game will be added by the FIVB to the broadcasting package, giving an interesting plus to all FIVB TV Rightholders and to million of Volleyball fans.