2021 FIVB Boys' U19 World Championship // Iran

Quote from blue1234

Wait till the women's team plays. Lol

Yeah, yeah, I know, I just wasn't expecting Thai U18 Boys' team to get so much traction in social media.

If someone is interested, there's an article about Alessandro Bovolenta from La Gazzetta (obviously, in context of his late father) --> https://www.gazzetta.it/Volley…-padre-420767568448.shtml

I know that this is how it works, that's a nice story about him, even I recalled this before this tournament by myself, but it's quite weird to speculate about him in context of Paris for senior NT, he's just solid player on U19 level, he can improve a lot obviously, but it's just putting too much pressure on this boy.

Day 4&5 (Iran-Nigeria game is left, but there won't be any suprise, Iran will finish 2nd and Nigeria 4th):

- Brazil got a 2nd place due to victory over Czech Republic, but considering a draw (listed below, in both cases) I think anything more than QF would be a huge suprise

- Poland was suprisingly decent in botch matches against India and Iran, so they turned out to be real contenders for a final

- Colombia advanced over Belarus, and for me they're the biggest suprise of this event: they played really well against Brazil and Czech Republic, and then made it to the top16

- former generations of Iranian volleyball were characterized by rather technique-oriented game, but these few next generations are so tall, athletic and strength-oriented teams, and that's a case here as well, and this was a reason behind their loss due to Poland, which as a team is a contrary (short wing spikers, good defense and reception); we had some red card-worthy interraction through the net in a 2nd set between Iran and Poland, so it seems that brawls in Polish-Iranian volleyball are given no matter an age (2nd set, from 58.53 on Volleyball World material if anyone is interested)

- Thailand is amazing, they fought really well against Belgium as well winning a set, their local hype is well-deserved;

- Argentina won decisively pool D, but it was the most boring group tbh

- Brazil has improved a bit with Samuel playing as an OPP in place of Bergmann, but it's still a long way to go for this team IMHO

Group A:

1	Poland	4	0	12	12	0	MAX	300	150	2.000
2	Iran	2	1	6	6	3	2.000	211	134	1.575
3	India	2	2	6	6	7	0.857	280	237	1.181
4	Nigeria	1	2	3	4	6	0.667	204	174	1.172
5	Guatemala*	0	4	0	0	12	0.000	0	300	0.000

Group B:

1	Italy	4	0	12	12	0	MAX	306	232	1.319
2	Brazil	3	1	8	9	6	1.500	351	306	1.147
3	Czech Republic	2	2	7	8	7	1.143	336	329	1.021
4	Colombia	1	3	3	5	10	0.500	316	375	0.843
5	Belarus	0	4	0	1	12	0.083	259	325	0.797

Group C:

1	Russia	4	0	12	12	2	6.000	361	319	1.132
2	Bulgaria	3	1	9	10	3	3.333	331	283	1.170
3	Belgium	2	2	6	7	7	1.000	338	338	1.000
4	Thailand	1	3	3	4	10	0.400	305	331	0.921
5	Cameroon	0	4	0	1	12	0.083	252	322	0.783

Group D:

1	Argentina	4	0	12	12	2	6.000	342	213	1.606
2	Germany	3	1	9	10	3	3.333	317	201	1.577
3	Egypt	2	2	5	6	8	0.750	286	258	1.109
5	Cuba	1	3	4	6	9	0.667	312	285	1.095
4	Dominican Republic*	0	4	0	0	12	0.000	0	300	0.000

I don't know if wikipedia got it right, but like I thought due to COVID (playing in the same halls), and this is as well how I interpreted formula file from FIVB site, schedule of 1/16 and after could be in comparison to earlier events changed (pools A&B and C&D playing against each other):

I'll wait for a confirmation from FIVB site, but if that's a case, I think we'll see Poland-Italy in a 1st semifinal, and two really interesting QFs on the 2nd part of a draw with Russia-Bulgaria (50/50 for me) and Belgium-Argentina (although Argentina was lossless in a group phase, I don't think they were any special to be honest).

I'll send a schedule after it will be official.

The alternative is two best teams of pool A&D, and B&C playing against each other in QFs, so we would have Italy-Bulgaria and Brazil-Russia, theoretically, in the same half. Obviously, A scenario is much better from Pool B teams, because Pool C IMHO was the strongest one, and teams from Pool A from 3-4 spots were weak.

Either way, 1/16 will be played on Monday.

Maybe B scenario is correct and we just wrongly interpret what was published on FIVB website, it doesn't make too much sense to be honest to play 1/16 among one hall-only teams, considering that QFs will be played in one hall regardless, so it's not that much preventive from COVID.

Yeah, I was about to point it out, so ... good luck to group B

Here's a schedule with game time: https://en.volleyballworld.com…tions/m-u19-2021/schedule

1/8:

Bulgaria 3–0 Egypt (25–14 25–22 25–12)

Italy 3–0 Nigeria (25–14 25–17 25–15)

Russia 3–0 Cuba (25–19 25–18 25–17)

Brazil 3–0 India (25–19 25–17 25–23)

Argentina 3–0 Thailand (25–15 25–17 25–15)

Iran 3–0 Czech Republic (26–24 25–20 25–13)

Poland 3–0 Colombia (25–19 25–22 25–12)

Germany 3–2 Belgium (17–25 28–26 17–25 29–27 15–9)

Tomorrow, actual tournament begins, because of some withdrawals we have 10 teams on some good level at this competition, so that's why we got only one competitive game at 1/8/Round 16 level. I was disappointed by performance of Czechs. I was too busy to watch anything live, but I took some time to watch parts of Argentina-Thailand game, and it was by far the best game by Albicelestes in Iran, I was really impressed by combinations between Vazquez (setter) and Salazar (MB), Sanchez-Loser-esque. Maybe I underrated them up to this point and they'll be dangerous, but every team tomorrow will get an ultimate test in its QF, so we'll see.

My predictions:

Bulgaria-Italy 3-1

Russia-Brazil 3-0

Argentina-Iran 3-1

Poland-Germany 3-1

I just hate watching volleyball without challenge system, then you get bunch of 17yo kids barking to the referee after every single point and making grimaces and offended faces anytime they got a wrong call.

Italy overutilized Luca Porro and then fell of a cliff when he got (understandly) tired. But they have much younger team (all spikers and a setter from '04), and that made a difference here.