Day 6 Wrap Up
Nakhon Pathom,Thailand, August 13, 2022 – Unbeaten China set up highly-anticipated final showdown with Japan in the Sunday’s 2022 AVC Cup for Men at the Nakhon Pathom Provincial Gymnasium, with the former making fantastic comeback to beat Korea in epic tie-breaker and the latter capturing convincing straight-set win against Bahrain in the action-packed semifinals on Saturday.
China, which became the only team yet losing a match to their respective rivals en route to the Sunday’s final clash, sealed hard-fought five-set thriller 20-25, 25-17, 32-34, 29-27, 17-15 against Korea.
China, world No.19 and 13th place at this year’s VNL, faced an uphill task against Korea, world No.39 and bronze medallists at the recent FIVB Challenger Cup. Talented Zhang Jingyin, Peng Shikun and Zhang Guanhua spearheaded the China’s offence as Korea were made strong with the likes of powerful hitter Heo Subong, who scored a tournament-high 33 points in the Korea’s match against Australia in the Challenger Cup in Seoul, and star spiker Lim Sungjin and hard-attacking Na Gyeongbok.
Earlier, fired-up Japan, fielding their second-string B team, advanced into the showdown after demolishing debutants Bahrain in straight sets 27-25, 25-15, 25-20. Japan proved one of the strong teams with excellent defence to be reckoned with in this topflight tournament.
“Against Bahrain, we started well in the first set and after we won it, we were confident of playing in the second set. We adjusted and analysed Bahrain’s attacks and improved on our defence. In the final, facing either China or Korea, we have to prepare our team and get ready, physically and mentally, for the tough match,” Japan head coach Koichiro Shimbo commented after the match.
As Qatar did not return to defend their title achieved four years ago in the 2018 edition in Chinese Taipei (the 2020 edition in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic), China have eye on their second title in this top-tier competition after their first success in 2012 in Vietnam, while Japan also have their sights firmly set on their unprecedented title in the AVC Cup for Men.
So, either China or Japan win the Sunday’s showdown, they will be crowned new champions, with the former reclaiming their title they had won 10 years ago and the latter making history to win the title for the first time ever.
On Sunday, Korea, which reigned supreme in the 2014 edition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Bahrain will battle it out for the third place and bronze medal.
In the classification round on Sunday, Pakistan seek a revenge match against Iran, former three-time champions in 2008, 2010 and 2016 as the Pakistanis had already suffered their loss to Iran in the pool plays. Both teams will vie for the 5th position in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand are also ready for the rematch against Australia, the team they went down 1-3 in the round of the last eight teams in Pool E. Both sides will fight it out for the 7th place.
In the 5th-8th playoffs on Saturday, Iran, fielding their U20 squad which are using this crucial competition as a stepping stone in their intensive preparation for the Asian Men’s U20 Championship in Riffa, Bahrain between August 22 and 29, faced a daunting task against hosts Thailand to see off the host side in dramatic 3-1 (25-14, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22), while Pakistan, making their debut appearance in this tournament, clawed their way back to beat Australia, world No.39 and 16th place at this year’s VNL, in exhausting five sets 21-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-23, 15-6.
Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei, fourth place at the last year’s Asian Senior Men’s Championship in Japan, returned with the 9th position after making a clean sweep of both matches contested in the single round-robin classification round of 9th-11th places at Sport Complex inside Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin at the neighbouring Salaya District.
Chinese Taipei powered past Hong Kong, China in straight sets 25-17, 25-21, 25-16 on Saturday. India, which had one (3-1) win against one straight-set loss to Chinese Taipei, came in 10th place in this year’s AVC Cup for Men. Hong Kong, China finished on the bottom 11th place after losing them all in the round-robin classification round for 9th-11th places.
Related links of AVC
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: www.twitter.com/AsianVolleyball
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation