Japan downs Egypt in full sets, USA defeated Tunisia

Fukuoka, Japan, November 25, 2007.- Japan inflicted a sixth straight World Cup defeat on Egypt in the third match of the day at Marine Messe Fukuoka on Sunday night. In front of a capacity crowd of 7,600, the hosts recovered from 2-1 down to win 25-17, 19-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-9 to improve their win-loss record to 3-3. The African champions dropped to 0-6 but should have been celebrating their first win after leading 23-19 in the fourth set but losing six straight points.

NORCECA champions United States bounced back from losing the first set to beat African vice champions Tunisia at Momotaro Arena in Okayama.

 Led by some impressive play from man of the match Gabriel Gardner, Team USA weathered an early Tunisian storm to prevail 22-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-17 and improve to 4-2 in the men's World Cup, while the North Africans dropped to 1-5.

Japan started aggressively and led 8-7 at the first TTO. When their advantage grew to 12-9 with a block on Saleh Youssef (S. Fathy), Egypt called the first TO of the match.

 The young southpaw Shimizu, who has enjoyed a spectacular first World Cup to date, and Koshikawa both produced crashing winners out wide, and Yamamura pounced at the net.

 The Egyptians have plenty of firepower, too, notably in southpaw Ahmed Abd El Naiem (Salah), who drew gasps around the hall with one particularly fluid spike down the right side. Captain Hamdy Awad (El Safi) answered Yamamura at the net, and Saleh Youssef (S. Fathy) was a danger with his variation of subtlety and power.

 Japan were looking good at 16-13 at the second TTO, their reception to the powerful serves laying the foundations for their attack.

 While the African champions lacked speed and crispness in their movements, Japan were a level higher at this point and completed their counter attacks with some hard, clean hits; one such from Shimizu sending Egypt into a TO at 19-15.

 On the restart, Egypt took off Hossam and sent in Ossama, but even Salah was wide on one attack down the left wing. Ossama leapt and stretched at the net but spiked long, and Ishijima tipped one into space for 23-15 after more great Japanese reception.

 Yamamura brought up set point at 24-16, and Koshikawa's wristy spike on the left was too hard for Abdalla to control, 25-17.

 Egypt needed to raise their game in the second set but found Japan in commanding form. Yamamura blocked Saleh Youssef when they went head to head, and Koshikawa again got the better of the Egyptians' block on the Japanese left.

 Mohamed El Nafrawy (El Sayed) lifted Egypt's spirits with a thumping winner down the middle, and Saleh Youssef beat a two-man block on the left to maintain their good start. Egypt led by one, 8-7, at the first TTO.

 On the restart, Matsumoto struck at the net to bring the scores level, and added another point shortly after when his right-wing spike was blocked out. Usami continued to display expert digging, enabling Ishijima to push one into space, and Abdalla sent an ace fizzing past Ishijima for 12-10 Egypt and a Japan TO.

 Ossama, who had been trying to disrupt the Japanese block and defence with his delicate play at the net, was replaced by Hossam at 13-12 Japan; when Saleh Youssef was blocked to leave Japan ahead 15-13, the Africans took a TO.

 Trailing by two at the second TTO, Egypt pulled level with a Salah spike and a block by El Nafrawy on Ishijima. Japan ran into further trouble against Egypt's block and needed a TO down 18-16.

 Japan had lost their momentum at this stage, their reception, setting and spiking all lacking the smoothness with which they had started the game. Again Shimizu was blocked, and at 22-18 Ogino came in for Ishijima.

 A Gabal ace skidded through for 23-18, and Abdalla blocked Shimizu for set point at 24-18. At 24-19, Yamamoto came in for Shimizu, but too late to salvage the second set as Hamdy Awad closed it 25-19 for 1-1.

 Japan were still sleeping at the start of the third set after the 10-minute interval. Yamamoto was blocked and Salah blasted two crunching winners, the second of which owed a big debt to captain El Safi for a flying dig; at 3-1 Japan needed a TO.

 Koshikawa gave way to Ogino, and now Saleh Youssef scored impressively down the left to continue Egypt's excellent start to the third set. When Abdalla tipped one into a big space, Egypt were flying at 8-3 and Japan had totally lost their way.

 Yamamoto helped them find it again and began to produce on the right flank with his southpaw spikes, and when Egypt's lead was down to 11-9, the African champions called a TO. Although Japan were playing better, Egypt held a two-point advantage as the set progressed. El Safi made that three in time for the second TTO, 16-13, with a leap and accurate spike on the left.

 Yamamoto's spiking was erratic, contributing to Egypt moving five clear at 21-16, at which point he was replaced by Shimizu.

 A brilliant block by Abdalla on Matsumoto highlighted Egypt's superiority at this point, and Japan were in big trouble and in need of a TO at 22-16.

 Ogino was doing his best to keep his team in the third set, and when the deficit was trimmed to 22-19, Egypt took a TO. They returned for Salah to blaze past the block on the left for 23-19, and Shimizu's jump serve was long to give them set point at 24-20. Saleh Youssef finished it on the left, 25-21, 2-1 Egypt.

 Sensing their first victory of the World Cup after five straigtht defeats, Egypt made sure Japan did not get an early lead in the fourth frame.

 Salah jumped and spiked ferociously on the right, and setter Abdalla repeated his earlier move with a lightning spike into space at the front court. Captain El Safi hit the target with another athletic attack across the Japanese defence, and Salah bludgeoned Egypt into the first TTO with a one-point advantage, 8-7.

 When Shimizu spiked long and Saleh Youssef finished off a counter with a wonderful running spike that had coach Zakaria applauding on the side line, Japan trailed 11-8. Shimizu gave way to Yamamoto as coach Ueta searched for a winning combination, and the veteran southpaw soared majestically on the right to smash one through.

 When an Egypt attack broke down, Japan were level 14-14 and a Yamamoto block on El Safi took them into the second TTO leading 16-15.

 An Abdalla ace gave Egypt fresh impetus, and when Yamamoto spiked wide down the right Japan took a TO trailing 19-17. Abdalla's blocking helped Egypt to 22-19, and Salah blazed home for 23-19. Ishijima came back at 23-20, and Egypt called a TO at 23-21 after Saleh Youssef fired wide across court. A Yamamoto spike and Ishijima block on Salah brought the scores level 23-23, sending the African champs into TO. Chiba's brilliant dig and Yamamoto's spike made it 24-23 Japan, and Salah was wide to end the set 25-23, 2-2. Japan had recovered from 23-19 to win six straight points in an incredible finish.

 Japan raced into a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak, sending Egypt into a quick TO. On the restart, an Egypt attack faltered for 4-0, and Ishjijima popped one into space for 5-0. When Yamamoto spiked deep for 6-0, Egypt went off again in disarray, having been so close to winning the fourth set and the match just a few minutes earlier.

 Egypt won three straight points to halve the deficit at 6-3, Japan TO, and Moneim blocked Yamamoto for 6-4 as the comeback continued.

 Japan turned round with a four-point lead at 8-4, but this was down to two when Salah blocked Chiba for 8-6, Japan TO. A couple of errors padded this to 11-6, and Yamamoto struck again for 12-6.

Team USA down Tunisia

Okayama, Japan, November 25, 2007 - NORCECA champions United States bounced back from losing the first set to beat African vice champions Tunisia at Momotaro Arena in Okayama on Sunday.

Led by some impressive play from man of the match Gabriel Gardner, Team USA weathered an early Tunisian storm to prevail 22-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-17 and improve to 4-2 in the men's World Cup, while the North Africans dropped to 1-5.

Tunisia had a one-point edge going into the first technical timeout and they extended that lead to three at 12-9 with bodies flying everywhere in a pell-mell rally.

When the lead improved to four, U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon called a timeout to try to turn things around.

The deficit was reduced to two points, but Tunisia still went into the second TTO leading after Noureddine Hfaiedh's spike carried too much weight to be stopped by the U.S. front-guard.

The U.S. came back to level at 16-16 and then at 17-17 when Riley Salmon crashed in a beauty from the right. Tunisia then restored a two-point advantage at 19-17 with a towering block from Chokri Jouini.

It was the fillip Tunisia needed to close out the set. Another two points were tacked on, forcing U.S. to call a TO before Bilel Ben Hassine smacked down a vertical spike, Hichem Kaabi spiked for set point and Clayton Stanley served long to hand it on a plate to the Africans.

Team USA were stung into action and responded well, storming to a 4-0 lead in the second set behind some top-level blocking from the likes of 209-cm Gardner.

Tunisia called an early timeout to stem the flow of points and it worked to a point. U.S. moved into the TTO three ahead after a solid spike on the right from Gardner and there was excellent blocking from both teams, Thomas Hoff working well at the net for the Americans and Ben Hassine for the Africans.

Ryan Millar hammered in a big spike to put the U.S. 9-5 ahead, but they couldn't shake off the Tunisians who drew level at 10-10 courtesy of an ace from captain Ghazi Guidara.

Then once again the U.S. made a break for it to move 13-10 ahead on a smoked Salmon spike and reached the second TTO still leading by three when Salmon again stepped up to smack a spike from the left that flew off the Tunisians' fingertips.

Two huge blocks in a row from Millar gave U.S. a 20-15 lead and a cracker from Gardner restored that advantage at 22-17. Team USA were now in command and closed out the set with an uncontrollable Gardner spike and a serve into the net from Kaabi.

An outrageous rally at the start of the third set ratcheted things up a notch and put U.S. 4-2 ahead, Hoff hammering down the crucial block, and the Americans arrived at the TTO leading by one after a huge diagonal spike from Gardner on the right.

McCutcheon called a TO at 11-11 to try to remedy things after seeing his men throw away a three-point advantage, but there was little they could do as the Tunisians began to block and spike with more menace than in the previous set.

Tunisia took the lead at 13-12 after Guidara caused confusion on the USA side with a snapped left-hand spike, but Salmon's block brought the second TTO with U.S. leading by two. American built on the lead and an ace by Gardner took it to 18-14 and triggered a TO from Tunisia.But there was no way back for the North Africans.

A scorching ace from Stanley moved it to 20-15 and Salmon soon made it 23-18 with a huge spike down the middle. Set point arrived when William Priddy's big serve caught the net to flummox the Tunisians and the same man romped through the middle before his big right hand added the set's coup de grace.

U.S. had a slight advantage at the first TTO of the fourth set and extended the lead to 16-13 by the second TTO as they looked to kill off the game without the need of a fifth set.

A huge Priddy spike on the left made it 17-15 to the U.S. and Gardner restored the three-point lead with one on the right. A Hosni Karamosly hammer blow down the middle reduced the lead again, but the Americans were relentless in their determination.

Priddy once again slapped one in from the left to make it 20-16 and it was all but over when Karamosly mis-hit long. Coach Antonio Giacobbe called a TO as a last throw of the dice but Gardner's block then made it 22-16 and the mountain was too high for Tunisia to climb.

Hoff crashed a huge vertical spike for point number 23, Priddy forced match point with a spike from the right and he finished it off with an uncontrollable ace.