The world`s top-ranked team, Poland, defeated Japan to secure a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) semifinals, where they will face Brazil.
Poland`s formidable three-man block against Japan`s Yuki Ishikawa.
In the final quarterfinal match of the men`s Volleyball Nations League held in Ningbo, China, Poland achieved a dominant 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-12) victory over Japan on Thursday. This emphatic win ended Japan`s hopes of securing a third consecutive medal in the competition, while keeping Poland on track for their sixth straight VNL podium finish. The reigning European champions are now set to play Brazil in Saturday`s semifinals.
The decisive factor in this match was undoubtedly Poland`s superior blocking. They registered an impressive 14 kill blocks, significantly outperforming Japan, who managed only three. Japan`s high number of unforced errors also contributed to their defeat, as they gave away 24 points to the Polish team, who made only 16 mistakes throughout the game.
Outside hitter Tomasz Fornal was a blocking powerhouse, contributing four kill blocks and a total of 11 points to Poland`s victory. His attacking efficiency was also notable, with a 58% success rate. The match-winning point came after a spectacular foot save by 20-year-old middle blocker Jakub Nowak, which Fornal then set for Kamil Semeniuk to deliver the final blow. Opposite Kewin Sasak also shone, scoring a team-high 15 points, including three aces and two kill blocks, alongside a 63% spiking success rate.
“I think we focused on blocking and practiced this element well, so it worked today. We are happy to advance to the semifinals and we are looking forward to the next game,” Kewin Sasak stated after the match. He added, “We played a game against Brazil in this VNL. It was a tough game. We lost. So, we want to change the score this time, for sure. We want to win and, in my opinion, the block-defense will be the most important, and the service. We have to push on the service.”
Both teams were even in aces, each scoring four. Spiking was the only offensive category where Japan slightly surpassed Poland, achieving 36 kills compared to Poland`s 34. Japan`s top scorer was opposite Kento Miyaura, who notched 17 points, with two coming directly from serves and the remaining 15 from attacks at a 52% success rate. Outside hitter and captain Yuki Ishikawa added 11 points for Japan, all from spikes.
“Today we could not get a good result, so we have to prepare for getting good results at the World Championship,” Kento Miyaura commented. “In this VNL, we played well. We were able to show our kind of volleyball, but we have to improve.”
Poland and Brazil will compete in the second semifinal on Saturday, August 2, at the Beilun Gymnasium. The match is scheduled to start at 19:00 local time (11:00 UTC). Earlier in the day, at 15:00 local time (07:00 UTC), Italy will face Slovenia in the first semifinal.
Polsha Yaponiyani Voleybol Millatlar Ligasi Yarim Finalidan Mahrum Etdi
Dunyodagi eng yaxshi jamoa, Polsha, Yaponiyani mag`lub etib, Voleybol Millatlar Ligasi (VNL) yarim finalida Braziliya bilan to`qnash kelish huquqini qo`lga kiritdi.
Polshaning Yaponiyalik Yuki Ishikawaga qarshi kuchli uch kishilik bloki.
Xitoyning Ninbo shahrida bo`lib o`tgan erkaklar o`rtasidagi Voleybol Millatlar Ligasi chorak finalining so`nggi uchrashuvida Polsha payshanba kuni Yaponiyani 3:0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-12) hisobida ustunlik bilan mag`lub etdi. Bu yorqin g`alaba Yaponiya terma jamoasining musobaqada ketma-ket uchinchi medalni qo`lga kiritish umidlariga barham berdi, shu bilan birga Polsha o`zining ketma-ket oltinchi VNL shohsupasiga chiqish yo`lida qoldi. Amaldagi Yevropa chempionlari endi shanba kuni bo`lib o`tadigan yarim finalda Braziliya bilan to`qnash kelishadi.
Ushbu o`yinda hal qiluvchi omil, shubhasiz, Polshaning ajoyib bloklari bo`ldi. Ular 14 ta muvaffaqiyatli blokni qayd etishdi, Yaponiyaning atigi uchta blokiga nisbatan sezilarli ustunlikka erishdilar. Yaponiya jamoasining ko`plab xatolari ham mag`lubiyatga sabab bo`ldi, chunki ular Polsha jamoasiga 24 ochko berishdi, polshaliklar esa o`yin davomida atigi 16 ta xatoga yo`l qo`yishdi.
Qanot hujumchisi Tomasz Fornal blok bo`yicha kuchli o`yin ko`rsatib, to`rtta blok bilan Polsha g`alabasiga jami 11 ochko qo`shdi. Uning hujumdagi samaradorligi ham e`tiborga loyiq bo`lib, 58% muvaffaqiyatli zarbalarni qayd etdi. G`alabali ochko 20 yoshli markaziy bloker Jakub Nowakning ajoyib oyog`i bilan saqlab qolingan to`pdan so`ng, Fornal to`pni Kamil Semeniukga uzatishi bilan qo`lga kiritildi. Diagonal hujumchi Kewin Sasak ham porladi, u jamoa uchun eng ko`p – 15 ochko to`pladi, shu jumladan uchta eyq va ikkita blok, shuningdek, 63% muvaffaqiyatli zarbalarni amalga oshirdi.
“Menimcha, biz blokirovkaga e’tibor qaratdik va bu elementni yaxshi mashq qildik, shuning uchun u bugun ish berdi. Yarim finalga chiqqanimizdan xursandmiz va keyingi o‘yinni intiqlik bilan kutmoqdamiz,” dedi Kewin Sasak o‘yindan keyin. U qo‘shimcha qildi: “Biz bu VNLda Braziliyaga qarshi o‘ynaganmiz. Bu qiyin o‘yin edi. Biz yutqazganmiz. Shunday ekan, bu safar hisobni o‘zgartirmoqchimiz, albatta. Biz g‘alaba qozonmoqchimiz va mening fikrimcha, blok-himoya va servis eng muhimi bo‘ladi. Servisga bosim o‘tkazishimiz kerak.”
Har ikki jamoa eyqlar bo`yicha teng bo`ldi, har biri to`rttadan ochko to`pladi. Faqatgina hujumda Yaponiya Polshadan biroz ustunlik qildi, Polshaning 34 ta zarbasiga nisbatan 36 ta muvaffaqiyatli zarba berdi. Yaponiyaning eng yaxshi to`purari diagonal hujumchi Kento Miyaura bo`ldi, u jami 17 ochko to`pladi, shundan ikkitasi servisdan to`g`ridan-to`g`ri, qolgan 15 tasi esa 52% muvaffaqiyatli zarbalar hisobiga edi. Qanot hujumchisi va sardor Yuki Ishikawa Yaponiya uchun yana 11 ochko qo`shdi, barchasi hujumlardan edi.
“Bugun yaxshi natija ololmadik, shuning uchun jahon chempionatida yaxshi natijalar olishga tayyorlanishimiz kerak,” dedi Kento Miyaura. “Bu VNLda yaxshi o‘ynadik. O‘zimizning voleybol turimizni ko‘rsata oldik, ammo yaxshilashimiz kerak bo‘lgan joylar bor.”
Polsha va Braziliya shanba kuni, 2-avgust kuni Beilun sport majmuasida ikkinchi yarim finalda to`qnash kelishadi. O`yin mahalliy vaqt bilan soat 19:00 (UTC 11:00) da boshlanishi rejalashtirilgan. Kunning boshida, mahalliy vaqt bilan soat 15:00 (UTC 07:00) da Italiya birinchi yarim finalda Sloveniya bilan o`ynaydi.
