2018 FIVB World Championship - Japan

    Russia's attack in the end proved to be stronger then Thai dedication, still Russia has to play much better then they did today if they want to have any sort of chance from now on.


    Up to Japan - Netherlands!

    Good win by Russia. They started sloppy but was able to adjust later in the game. I find it amazing that Thailand still have the stamina to play well. They just been through a number of tournaments just weeks before this WCH :white:

    Congratulations to the thai girls.. they play all together and enjoy on court, it is clear. Russia won for their superior attack but they really have to improve their game.

    Now tie-break in Japan vs. Netherlands in a match, which is likely the one for the group victory - Japanese crowd is big and going crazy, best blocker Robin de Kruijf of Netherlands is for sure missing by them.

    Sucks for Japan, they were the more consistent team. Credit to Holland though for really coming through when it mattered most.

    Okay, now relations in Yokohama are rather clear: the weak other teams pose no threat to Netherlands, who will take the pool; Japan will be second, because German NT (likely third at the end) can't do anything against them under these circumstances IMHO.

    In Pool A we see the top 3 teams are on another level from the bottom 3. It would be nice if Cameroon could take the 4th spot and advance to round 2. After Mexico beat Argentina it now looks quite likely that we will have an African team in the top 16. For Japan, this loss could be a big blow to their hopes of making the F6. Of course they could still beat Brazil or Serbia but they will not be favourites, that's for sure.


    After failing to qualify for the 2014 edition, it now looks like Korea and KYK will be going home after the first round this time. Their match against Russia will be the big one to decide their fate.

    Poor Japan... :white:Hope they'll beat Brasil or Serbia in 2nd round:super:

    Gold Medal - Prediction Game - Men's - Olympic Games 2012
    Gold Medal - Prediction Game - Men's - European Championship 2015
    Silver Medal     - Prediction Game - Women's - Olympic Games 2012
    がんばれ 日本!

    Quote from samsara

    A very meaningful win by the Chinese team over the Turkish one. And what a sweet repay(!) by CHN over all the kindness received from TUR throughout the VNL from prelim to the F6, not to mention the minor one in the Swiss Classic. The ZhuYuanZhang team backs into the action. From TUR team the youngster Karakurt is the most notable, moreover she's still so young. Nonetheless both teams will proceed to the next round, this is simply a match of confidence, a match of prestige. No more and no less.

    Every game matters. In the second round, the teams in the same pool will not play against each other again. So, the result in the 1st round will be carried over to the 2nd round. When a team loses two games in the 1st round, the chance for them to go to final six is very slim.

    Quote from harboboy

    In addition to the schedule: I just figured out that Italy almost plays every match first in the group : 6:40 CET, I guess) and China plays ALL matches last (12:20 CET), I am used to this that the host gets the latest time spot but this schedule in this group is very unfair.

    I am not sure about the ITA case, but in the cases of CHN and JPN, the play time in the Pool are both the PRIME TIME for their TV and court viewers: 18:20 BJT and 19:20 JST respectively, and both have significant market for the women's volleyball sport, so commercial-wise it's quite understandable.


    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    Quote from skk95

    Poor Japan... :white: Hope they'll beat Brasil or Serbia in 2nd round :super:

    I wouldn't be surprised if they beat them both. Wouldn't be surprised if they lost to both either, but that's a far cry from assuming they will lose both (which is what I had been assuming based on the way they played over the summer).


    I'm surprised, and happy, Coach Nakada went with Koga and Shinnabe and stuck with them for the first two games after her summer of flip flop lineups. It remains to be seen if she stays with them. The NED match was pretty grueling and one of her few substitutions was a big mistake (Uchiseto for Kurogo at a critical moment).


    Kanami Tashiro is a sweet surprise. She used to set for the NT and then faded away. She's back! Her defense was a major factor against NED, and in uniting the team to all play defense.


    One of the main reasons I like Japan is that they don't engage in the whining and complaining that a lot of other teams and coaches do. They are polite and respectful. But it's this "niceness" that holds them back. When they knock an opponent down, like they did to NED last night, they are too nice to go step on their neck. Maybe they don't even know how. They need to figure out a way to close out sets. They beat the crap out of NED and somehow managed to lose the match :huh:

    Love the way Japan play...really admire their attitude, they go for every ball and put so much energy in their game. Waiting for the day when they can find a couple of tall middle blocker, then their opponents won't have such a big advantage.

    Quote from sloth

    Does somebody have any links of replays matches?

    Turkey - China: LINK

    Japan - Netherlands:.LINK

    Russia - Thailand: LINK

    Serbia - Kenya: LINK

    Argentina - Mexico: LINK

    Bulgaria - Cuba: LINK

    Kazakhstan - Peurto Rico: LINK

    Germany - Cameroon: LINK

    USA - Trinidad & Tobago: LINK

    Italy - Canada: LINK

    Brazil - Dominican Republic: LINK

    Code

    WOOOW, thank you so much *-*

    Just watched CHN v TUR and didn't think Turkey was as bad as some of the live tweeters last night led me to believe. Ebrar wasn't perfect but she impressed me with quite a few "thoughtful" attacks--not just trying to hit it as hard as she can, but showing court awareness and aiming the ball to open floor. And she's got a good serve. Mad props to any one who doesn't pull back and wimp out on a jump serve against match point. How Liu Xiaotong of her!

    I`m getting the feeling the Turkish`s fairytale is over....as they don`t have any more B teams to play like they did all VNL... but I`m still rooting for them.


    Interesting that Nagaoka did not play against NED....such a pity that Japan lost as they could actually have won the first set as they had a big lead.


    Can`t wait for Serbia vs Brazil.... I have been dreaming of this moment for months and is finally here. :super:

    just watched a little bit of KOR x AZE.



    incredible angles in hitting by KYK, but also surprised at how well park jeong-ah, jana kulan and odina aliyeva are playing. but i must say, i don't like AZE playing much. they are just tall and big and hit hard, but they are boring and lack technique in other aspects. they are a poor version of DOM, who i think at least have more finesse. not sure how far they'll go in this WCh. i thought they only finished 4th at the ECh because they were home.


    i wish there would be more azeri players in the AZE team... they're a small minority in that team. and i hate that they keep changing names when they get divorced, married, etc. who can keep track? o. aliyeva used to be bayramova, now she's aliyeva again. i think she had a different name when she was very young and playing for UZB.