Day 3
Russians overcome shaky start to defeat Tunisia
Saitama, Japan, November 20, 2007: Russia lost their first set of the World Cup but won their third straight match, 3-1 against Tunisia, on the third and final day of action at Saitama Super Arena on Tuesday. World Cup holders and South American champions Brazil thrashed Egypt 25-18, 25-14, 25-17 in their Pool B match
Russia, who had swept Argentina and Australia 3-0 in their earlier games, extended their win-loss record to 3-0 with a 22-25, 25-15, 25-12, 25-16 victory.
Tunisia, who dropped to 1-2, started brightly but were slowly dismantled and eventually devoured by Russia's relentless power and pressure.
Tunisia made an impressive start, forcing Russia into a TO when they trailed 4-1 behind some big serving from Noureddine Hfaiedh and some attack errors.
On the restart, Semen Poltavskiy found his range on the Russian right flank with a series of flashing winners, but the Tunisians retained a three-point lead, 8-5, at the first TTO.
When Poltavskiy appeared on the opposite flank he was greeted with a crashing block from Hichem Kaabi as Tunisia moved to 10-7.
The Russians stepped up their block, notably on Hfaiedh, but Kaabi took up the Tunisia attack on the right flank and also with a service bullet to match any Russian delivery. Not only did Tunisia hang in there, they led by two, 16-14, at the second TTO.
Hosni Karamosly sent a vicious spike through the Russian defence for 19-16 as the Africans pressed forward, and Kaabi beat the block on the left for 20-18.
An adventurous attack from Sergey Tetyukhin was rewarded with another Russian point, but when the same player fired long on his next attack for 23-20, Russia called a TO on the brink of losing their first set of the World Cup.
Khaled Belaid beat a two-strong Russian block on the left to bring up three set points at 24-21, and Ostapenkpo served into the net on the second of these to hand Tunisia the opening frame, 25-22.

Rattled by the aggression and the skill level of the African vice champions, Russia tried to assert their authority in the second set.
Volkov pounded a mighty winner at the net that almost dented the court, Poltavskiy served a missile and a Berezkho block on Hfaiedh took Russia into the first TTO ahead 8-5.
Poltavskiy sent two more aces whistling home for 13-8, sending Tunisia into a TO, and Russia had extended this advantage to six, 16-10, at the second TTO, with Hfaiedh again the victim of a tough Russian block.
Karamosly and Aymen Ben Brik gave the Russian defence plenty to think about with some searing winners, but the Europeans were in control now and playing the game at their pace.
Poltavskiy rose on the left and spiked for 20-13, forcing Tunisia into their second TO, and Volkov greeted Ben Brik with an agile block on the resumption. With Russia's serve in full working order, they took the second set 25-15 for 1-1.

Poltavskiy had scored a game-high 15 points, including three on serve and one on block, in the first two sets, and continued his barrage in the third set. On one point, Hfaiedh on the Tunisia left was rejected repeatedly by the Russian defence, and the ball was eventually served up for Poltavskiy to blaze home on the same side.
Yury Berezhko added some imperious spikes with his fluid back-court attacks, and Volkov pushed one into space against a tiring Tunisia defence. Sufficiently softened up, Poltavskiy increased the torment with another blistering spike on the right side. When Chokri Jouini, faced by a huge blue block, fired long, the Africans trailed by six, 16-10, at the second TTO.
Jouini was replaced by Ben Brik on the restart, and Tunisia called a TO trailing 18-11.
Poltavskiy popped one over after his own perfectly controlled dig, and Tetyukhin moved Russia to 21-11 with a back-court attack through a crumbling Tunisia defence. A hush had fallen over the arena, and over the normally feisty Tunisian players, as they took a TO at 22-11 and the match now one-way traffic.
The end of the third set was a turkey shoot for the Russians, who lined up to send a series of attacks fizzing through the Tunisia court for 25-12. If this were a boxing match, the referee would have stopped the contest now, with Russia ahead 2-1 and about to inflict further punishment on a brave but battered opponent.

In the fourth set, Russia led 8-5 at the first TTO, as captain and setter Vadim Khamuttskikh orchestrated his attack and gave a volleyball exhibition to the spectators.
Having given a good account of themselves, the African vice champions could afford to enjoy the experience and go for their shots. Kaabi certainly did, but his impressive spike was becoming a rarity as Russia romped ahead 16-11 at the second TTO.
Alexander Korneev was now on the court, and Russia coach Alekno made sure there was no let-up in the concentration and demolition process. Ostapenko blocked and spiked, Khamuttskikh led by example with a brilliant dig at full stretch, despite his team's comfortable lead, and Berezkho soared from the back court for 21-14.
The Russians were laughing when Korneev spiked for 23-15, and Poltavskiy brought up match point at 24-16 with another scorching winner on the right. The block finished it 25-16, 3-1.

Brazil storms past Egypt
Matsumoto, Japan, November 20, 2007 — World Cup holders and South American champions Brazil thrashed Egypt 25-18, 25-14, 25-17 in their Pool B match on Tuesday.
The world and Olympic champions turned on the samba style at Matsumoto City General Gymnasium to claim their second win out of three, while African champions Egypt dropped to 0-3.
Once again, the Brazilian fans were out in force to watch captain and Most Important Player Gilberto Godoy Filho (Giba) and the rest play some incredible volleyball and cast further to the back of their minds the opening day defeat by the USA.
The Egyptians enjoyed a solid start against their more illustrious counterparts and went into the first technical timeout a point ahead.
Brazil were looking bitty and taking their time to stamp their authority on the game but soon got into the swing of things and went into the second TTO two points ahead when Guimaraes Amaral Dante swatted down a spike after a brilliant salvage from libero Dutra Santos Sergio.
Dante momentarily scorched an ace to make it 22-17 and then a Giba block made it 23-17 before Andre tipped over for three stylish points in a row and set point.
And up stepped Dante again, steaming through the middle to unleash his inferno on Egypt in the guise of an enormous spike that could have shook the snow off the surrounding Matsumoto mountaintops.
Brazil were enjoying themselves at the start of the second set. Andre Heller snapped a quick-fire spike to make it 7-5 and the irrepressible Dante was bringing out the big guns at will and his hammer blow made it 8-5 at the first TTO.
Elnaeim Ahmed Abd (Salah) was showing glimpses of his form from the first two games with some impressive spikes but Egypt didn’t have much to offer beyond this.
Gustavo Endres was using his snapped spike to devastating effect time and again and it was soon 16-8 at the second TTO after Giba had crashed another unstoppable spike through the Egyptian blockers.
The blocking from Giba was just as good and in a blink of an eye it was 19-9 and time for a TO for Egypt.
Mohamed Gabal sneaked in an ace off the net to get Egypt to 11 but served the next one long to give Brazil 20. Egypt captain Hamdy Awad (Elsafi) then slammed one in but the points were few and far between for the Africans.
It wasn’t long before set point came around. Anderson Rodrigues slammed in a spike on the right to take it to 24-13 and his falling spike was blocked out of bounds to seal the set.
Hossam Shaarawy slammed in a spike to give Egypt a 6-5 lead in the third set but some brilliant blocking from Andre Heller and Giba made sure Brazil got to the first TTO one point ahead.
The Brazilians slowly started to pull away again, although Egypt were keeping tabs on them with some good blocking. A Rodrigo Santana (Rodrigao) spike, though, brought 15-13 before Giba made it 16-14 at the second TTO with another uncontrollable — for Egypt, that is — spike.
It was all over before long, Andre Heller completing proceedings with another massive block at the net. Egypt had been demolished.