Brazil stays unbeaten and advances for the second round
Katowice, Poland, September 5, 2014- The marvelous performance for Brazil outside hitter Lucarelli led Brazil to a 3-0 (27-25, 25-21,26-24) victory over Finland in Pool B of the FIVB Men's World Championship at Spodek Arena in Katowice on Friday.
Brazil improved their win- loss ratio to 3-0 without dropping a set to confirm a second round ticket with two matches still ahead in the first round. Finland dropped to 2-1 with 5 points and occupies the third place.
Due to their dominance in serve, attacks and blocks, Brazil stopped pushing by white-and-blue fans Finland in straight sets. Despite a tight battle in the third set, Finland didn't manage to make a use of their few-points advantage.
Key points:
• Brazil are unbeaten in their four meetings with Finland at the World Championship, 3-0 in 1962 and 1966 and 3-1 in 1970 and this time 3-0.
• Brazil have won their last seven World Championship matches, losing only three sets in these matches combined.
• Despite being six points ahead, Finland lost the third set and the whole match.
• Finland were supported by over 5000 of their fans.
• Despite being six points ahead, Finland lost the third set and the whole match.
Very tight game at the beginning of the first set prevented both teams from jumping out to clear leading. Pushing by their fans gathered in thousands at Spodek hall, Finland came into the game with strong kills. Olli-Pekka Ojansivu helped his team with gaining a leading, but shortly after that Brazil answered with a huge spike. At 7-6 Lucarelli displayed fine middle spike and helped Brazil being one point ahead at the first technical timeout. After Lucarelli’s ace, Canarinhos increased their leading to two points (14-12). Fine defence helped Finland with playing a great spike, catching up at 18-18 and forcing Bernardo Rezende to ask for a timeout. Finland floundered their set ball and Wallace put Brazil 26-25 ahead what helped his team to win the set 27-25.
Brazil performed a strong opening of the set number two with going 2-0 ahead, but Finland caught up quickly by forming a successive block (2-2). From the very beginning the game was held point by point and just opponent’s mistakes were the key to Brazil’s leading 8-7. Ojansivu’s right-wing kill made an even, but Brazil didn’t stay passive- they quickly run 14-12 ahead and led 16-14 at the second technical timeout after fine Wallace’s spike. After two point serves played by Matti Oivanen, Finland not only caught up, but changed the scores to 19-18. Brazil answered quickly with a fine Lucarelli’s serve series which helped them to regained the leading and win the second set 25-21.
Third set started with a tight game, as it was in two previous ones. Nonetheless, it was Finland who gained a 7-5 leading, after a fine serve by Matti Oivanen. Making a use of opponent’s poor reception and Olli-Pekka Ojansivu kill, Tuomas Sammelvuo’s players run 10-6 ahead. Brazil with Walle’s huge spike followed by an ace and Lucarelli’s kill, reduced Finland’s leading to two points (13-11), but after a fine series of Ojansivu and Matti Oivanen, they were Finland who led 16-11 at the second technical timeout. Despite quite a big Finland’s advance, Brazil managed to take back touch and at 22-22 Finland's coach ask for the timeout. This break didn’t help his team to regain focus and eventually the third set ended 26-24 after Lucarelli’s kill.