Thursday, November 23, 2006

SAITAMA, Japan (AFP): Puerto Rico sent Asian silver medallists China out of the competition with a four-set victory in the men's world volleyball championships on Wednesday.

The Puerto Ricans, determined to beat China for a better points ratio, rallied to a 25-17, 25-13, 21-25, 26-24 win for identical 2-3 win-loss record with China in the six-team Pool A round robin in Saitama.

Argentina defeated Egypt 25-18, 29-31, 25-20, 25-20 for the same 2-3 record.

It gave Argentina and Puerto Rico the third and fourth places to qualify for the second stage with a better points ratio of 490/493 (1.004) and 487/485 (0.993) against China's 473/499 (0.947).

Top four teams from each group will reach the second stage.

They joined the Czech Republic, the United States and Tunisia into the second round, with Poland, Japan, Brazil, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia and Canada having already secured their places.

"It was a very important game and I'm very satisfied with the result. My players were nervous, maybe the Chinese too. Both teams made big mistakes. I'm very pleased that we can go into the second round," said Puerto Rican coach Carlos D. Cardona.

China's coach Zhou Jianan said: "My players couldn't play our normal game in the first two sets. We couldn't keep our concentration and couldn't block Puerto Rico's attacks. This is the reason of our defeat."

Meanwhile, Argentina's captain Marcos Milinkovic said: "We are not satisfied with the way we played. China, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Egypt were all at a close level to try to qualify for the next phase, but fortunately in the third set we played well and could get a good score."

All-conquering Brazil, who lost to France on Sunday, saved some face by finishing top by a better points ratio in Pool B in Fukuoka, with France taking second and Germany third with the same 4-1 win-loss records.

Brazil, the holders of the three major titles at the Olympics, the World Cup and the world championships, whipped Germany 25-13, 25-21, 25-22, while France outclassed 1989 World Cup winners Cuba 25-21, 25-19, 21-25, 25-17.

Bulgaria and Serbia and Montenegro, and Italy also finished top in their groups with Bulgaria beating the Czech Republic 20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 in Pool C in Nagano, the Serbians beating Canada 25-18, 25-18, 25-17 in Pool D in Sendai, and Poland beating Japan 25-18, 25-21, 25-23.

Three-time former world champions Italy brushed aside Venezuela 25-13, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15 to send their opponents out of competition in Pool C.

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