Nagoya (Japan)

Italy Brazil 3-0

“It was a shame, Italy played an excellent match but Brazil performance was unacceptable. I have to apologize and if the reporters have any questions, please ask directly to the team why Brazil played so poor”. Ze Roberto said.

Right after the end of the match, the Brazilian coach forced all the team players to attend the press conference. Usually only the captain and one player of the squad, chosen by reporters, answer media’s questions. Today the press room was crowded because all the Brazilian players were sitting among the journalists. Their look was impassive and imperturbable but the Brazilian girls were trying to conceal a big regret and deep unhappiness.

This is the match end but let’s start from the beginning.

Why Italy won

Italian players seemed worried because, few minutes before the starting, they had known that Leo Lo Bianco, the Italian line up setter, was not able to play due to back sore.
Therefore, they had to adapt at Francesca Ferretti’s slower and less practiced setting feature as soon as possible. The Italian back up setter needed a few points to get confident with the huge Nippon Gaishi Hall and manage the match rhythm. Italian players didn’t discourage by the few Ferretti’s unperfect sets. Barbolini’s gilrs were patient and they almost didn’t make any mistakes, exploiting each opportunities.
Brazilians made six errors in the first set (not so bad compared to Italian four errors) but South Americans made three mistakes after the twenty score, in the crucial moment.
The second set followed a similar pattern than first: the scores of the two teams were very close until the end but Italy won the second frame not thanks to Brazilian errors, but relying on outstanding digs.
The match actually ended after the second set because in the third game the Italian advantage was too large to be overtaken.

I already wrote about the packed press conference that followed the game, yet I want describe the reaction of Barbolini at the following Ze Roberto’s statement: “the difference between the Italian team performing the last years in Japan (during the World Championship) and this Italian team is Aguero”.

Barbolini firmly replied: “we played good matches even when Aguero’s performance wasn’t excellent. Today she was outstanding and we won 3-0, but Italy is not only Aguero!”.

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Serbia USA 3-1

The Serbian coach Terzic, was walking through the mix zone (the place were reporters may interview the players) wearing a wide and satisfied smiling. “Are you happy? It was a very nice match” I said.

He frowned, trying to hide the natural smile and said seriously: “ Nice match? Perhaps you enjoy the match, for me was a long suffering game…” and he left wearing again the happy smile.

Why Serbia won

Serbia is playing better than everybody expected. The young setter, Maja Ognjenovic, is one the most talented players seen in this 2007 World Cup. Her setting touch is very smooth and this ability always distinguished the great setters. She is quite young to play in this position (24 years old), but she is managing perfectly this long and tough tournament.
Moreover, Nikolic killed 23 attacks out of 43 attempts achieving an average above 50%, and the middle blocker Stefana Veljkovic got nine blocks!
Numbers can help a lot to understand the match but, as usually, cannot explain completely what happens in the court .This squad is subverting every odds, playing amazingly never giving up although three important athletes are missing.

Last but not least let me say that it’s very fascinating see a group of smiling girls leaded by an enjoyable serious coach.


Bye bye andrea zorzi