Russia took over Egypt, World champions thrashed Tunisia
Fukuoka, Japan, November 26, 2007: In the second match of the day at Marine Messe Fukuoka, the European vice champions Russia beat Egypt 25-19, 25-18, 25-19 to improve their win-loss record to 7-0 with four matches to go. The African champions dropped to 0-7.
World Cup holders and South American champions Brazil thrashed African vice champions Tunisia 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 in the men’s World Cup on Monday to improve to 6-1.
Khamuttskikh of Russia could even enjoy his birthday by watching the action from the sidelines with the other substitutes, as second setter Sergey Grankin took over.
Egypt could take heart from the fact that Russia had dropped only one set during their six victories, against African vice champions Tunisia. Maybe the African champions could do the same.
Hossam certainly thought so, blocking Kruglov and then Korneev on successive points before spiking at the net for 4-2.
Egypt led 8-6 at the first TTO and Abdalla resumed with a blistering ace for 9-6, sending the shell-shocked Russians into a TO.
On the restart Russia won the next four points to move ahead 10-9, at which point Egypt needed a TO. Saleh Youssef got Egypt moving again, beating the Russian defence with a mixture of power and placement, before Abramov on the left and Kruglov on the right took the European vice champions into the second TTO ahead 16-14.
Egypt tried to fight back but their attacks lacked accuracy and at 19-15 they took a TO. The Russians were into their groove now. Abramov spiked cleanly up the right for 21-16, and Ostapenko devoured an inviting short set from Grankin. Korneev blazed through a crumbling block on the left and Volkov smashed a brutal winner at the net for 25-19.
The Egyptian block and defence tightened up in the second set, and Russia had to work harder for their points. At the net, the lively setter Abdalla caught out the Russian block with a sharp, left-handed spike into space, before Ostapenko blasted Russia into the first TTO ahead 8-7.
The second set was very even, as the Egyptians displayed their considerable skills. Hossam at the net, Saleh on the left and southpaw ace Ahmed Salah on the right all scored impressively to keep pace with the European volleyball aristocrats. There was only one point in it, 16-15 Russia, at the second TTO.
Ostapenko resumed with a fiery ace down the middle and Volkov reached up and tipped a loose ball into a big space for 18-15, sending Egypt into a TO.
Volkov pounced again after another Ostapenko bullet had softened up the Egypt defence, and coach Zakaria took his players off again at 20-15.
The Russians had suddenly accelerated. Korneev spiked at the net after a Volkov dummy and then got through on the left for 22-17, before Volkov gobbled up a weak return for 23-17.
The Egyptians could only watch as Abramov flew in from the left for 24-17, and Kruglov pounded one past overworked libero Al Aydy to end the set, 25-18.

Southpaw Salah had been taken off shortly before the end of the second set with a meagre (by his high standards) six-point tally and started the third set on the bench, the coach perhaps saving his precious left arm for matches which Egypt had a chance to win.
They certainly could not win this one, and needed a TO on falling behind 5-2 to a Russian team in a different league on serve, spike, block and everything else.
Abramov soared from the back court for 7-4, and Russia led 8-5 at the first TTO. Saleh Youssef continued to score with his athletic attacks and clean hits, and Gabal pounded a smooth winner down the right as Egypt opened up and went for their shots. Gabal did the same again shortly after, beating the block of Korneev, and at 11-11 Russia needed a TO to refocus.
An Abdalla ace whistled through the Russian court to further encourage the Egyptians, before Gabal scored on the right again, his spike too hot to handle for libero Verbov.
Leading 16-15 at the second TTO, Russia stepped on the gas to surge ahead into the home straight. Although the Egyptians collected a few more consolation points, the Russian power and precision was unrelenting, and Abramov ended it 25-19 with a fizzing ace.

Resende rotates as Brazil down Tunisia
Okayama, Japan, November 26, 2007 — World Cup holders and South American champions Brazil thrashed African vice champions Tunisia 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 in the men’s World Cup on Monday to improve to 6-1.
Brazil coach Bernardo Resende took the opportunity to rotate his players, with captain Gilberto Godoy Filho (Giba) sitting this one out, Murilo Endres and Andre Heller given rare starts and even 23-year-old Samuel Fuchs getting in on the action. The win came at a cost as Gustavo Endres dislocated a finger, but he should be OK for the next round.
The Olympic and world champions still romped home, though, with an impressive showing from man of the match Murilo helping drop Tunisia to 1-6. Tunisia lost the distinction of having won at least a set in each of their matches.
Brazil went into the first technical timeout with a two-point lead after a Guimaraes Amaral Dante spike down the middle, but Tunisia pulled back to 9-9.
A cracker down the middle from Noureddine Hfaiedh kept the pressure up on the South Americans and a great block from Bilel ben Hassine put his side ahead at 12-11.
The Tunisians were pushing Brazil all the way at the beginning and the all-yellows could only muster a one-point lead going into the second TTO.
They increased it to three at 19-16 on another Dante spike before yet another made it 20-16 and the set was all but over. Muriel finally put the set to bed with an angled spike from the left.
Every Dante spike seemed to hitting the intended target and it was his smasher that put Brazil into the first TTO of the second set leading by four.
That lead was increased to six at the second TTO when Hichem Kaabi spiked low into the net and although Brazil were not firing on all cylinders they still a little too much pizzazz for the their counterparts.
Tunisia called a TO as Brazil reach 21-14 after a well-worked spike by Andre Heller but the South Americans didn’t mess about back on court and soon finished things off in the set.
Hosni Karamosly served into the net for 23-15, Anderson Rodrigues forced set point with a spike on the left and the same hand clinched the set with a spike on the opposite side.
It was more of the same at the start of the third set. Tunisia were working hard to create openings but the Brazilian blockers were snuffing out a lot of spikes, while Murilo — mainly — was thwacking in the spikes.
Brazil led 8-5 at the TTO and Bruno Rezende’s ace made it 10- and at 13-7 Tunisia called a TO.
It only delayed the inevitable. The second TTO arrived with Brazil leading by six points and well in control.
The Tunisians rallied to bring it back to a deficit of three at 19-16 but Murilo made that a four-point gap with another winning spike.
Rodrigao then drove one down for 22-18 but Tunisia again came back to within two before Rodrigao again slapped one down to make it 23-20.
Tunisia called a TO to see if they could conjure up a bigger comeback in the set, but it wasn’t to be as the huge hand of Rodrigao blocked for match point and Khaled Belaid served long to end things.