2007 Men’s World Cup- Day 9
Egypt down Korea for first victory
Tokyo, Japan, November 30, 2007 — At the ninth time of asking, Egypt earned their first victory in the men’s World Cup by coming from a set down on Friday to beat Korea 21-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-22. Man of the match Abdalla Ahmed inspired the North Africans alongside Mohamed Gabal as the wild-card Koreans dropped to 1-8 at Komazawa Gymnasium in Tokyo.
NORCECA vice champions Puerto Rico crushed Tunisia in straight sets at Komazawa Gymnasium in Tokyo on Friday. The Puerto Ricans, lead well by man of the match Hector Soto and Jose Rivera, won 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 to improve to 5-4, while Tunisia dropped to 1-8.
It was neck-and-neck almost all the way to the second technical timeout in the first set, but the superior spiking of crowd favorite Moon Sung-Min and Lee Sun-Kyu made sure the Koreans made it to the break leading by two points.
Korea then made a break for it and a brilliant block from Lee made it 18-14, but Egypt pulled back to within two with a brilliant ace from Ahmed.
Moon spiked on the right for 20-17 and the Koreans were keeping at least a two-point lead. An excellent ace from Song Byung-Il then brought set point before a wayward spike from Captain Hamdy Awad gave Korea the clinching point.
Egypt came back at the start of the second set and despite some suspect serving managed to arrive at the first TTO leading by four.
They’d finally found their form and Ahmed was working well at the net. The North Africans reached the second TTO seven points ahead with a spike from Mohamed Elnafrawy getting them there.
Gabal crashed in a spike on the right for 18-10 before Ahmed tipped over for 19-11. The odd point for Korea aside — Ha Kyoung-Min snapped in an excellent spike or two — it looked like the Egyptians’ set all the way.
Mohamed Badawy spiked on the left for set point and Awad smashed through the blockers to finish things off.
Elnafrawy slapped in a spike from the middle to put the Egyptians one ahead at the first TTO of the third set, but it was again point-for-point in the early stages.
Some excellent blocking, not least from Hossam Shaarawy and Ahmed, gave the Egyptians the edge heading into the second TTO and they got there leading by five points.
The Koreans rallied slightly but Awad’s punishing spike made it 18-14 and at 19-14 Korea called a TO. But it didn’t help as Egypt closed out the set.
Badawy spiked in from the left, a handling foul gave set point and Elnafrawy’s block at the net was good enough for the set.
The Koreans came back in the fourth set and went into the first TTO leading by one after Moon dinked over on the right.
Gabal equalized with a spike on the left and he crashed in a stunning ace to put the Egyptians ahead for the first time in the set at 11-10. They doubled that lead, forcing the Koreans to call a TO.
The Egyptians were hanging onto the lead, though, and Gabal’s huge spike from the right kept them two ahead at the second TTO.
The North Africans stretched the lead to three at 18-15 when Elnafrawy smashed into space and Egypt could now sense victory.
The Koreans were pushing all the way but Egypt held firm and Shaarawy made it 20-17 with an excellent block.
That was that. Badawy crashed down for 22-18, Shaarawy made it 23-20 and when a Korean block went wide, destiny was in the North Africans’ hands. Captain Awad stepped up to spike home. Cue delirious celebrations from Egypt. They’d finally won one.


Puerto Ricans purr against Tunisia
Tokyo, Japan, November 30, 2007 — NORCECA vice champions Puerto Rico crushed Tunisia in straight sets at Komazawa Gymnasium in Tokyo on Friday. The Puerto Ricans, lead well by man of the match Hector Soto and Jose Rivera, won 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 to improve to 5-4, while Tunisia dropped to 1-8.
With two matches left to play, the Tunisians will be hoping for a victory against fellow strugglers Egypt while Puerto will be confident, on this form, of finishing with two more victories against Australia and Korea. They are aiming to finish as high as fourth place.
Puerto Rico went into the first technical timeout leading by three points, with Soto providing the highlight of the opening exchanges when he aced a beauty down the middle, leaving the Tunisian players flatfooted.
Tunisia called a timeout when they were trailing by four at 12-8, with Puerto Rico’s Victor Rivera working and spiking well down the left.
The Puerto Ricans were well in control going into the second TTO, however, and led 16-11. Tunisia were struggling to cope with the wing threats of Soto and Rivera and coach Antonio Giacobbe called another TO when his team were trailing 18-12.
Fernando Morales tipped over delicately to put Puerto Rico 20-14 ahead before Rivera scored with a soft ace that Khaled Belaid should have dealt with.
The set wasn’t going Tunisia’s way and despite a good spike from Bilel Ben Hassine it was soon a done deal, Soto’s swatted spike bouncing off the blockers and out.
Puerto Rico kept their momentum going into the second set and reached the first TTO leading by three after some solid spiking from Luis Rodriguez and Soto, although Belaid and Noureddine Hfaiedh were also hammering down some harsh efforts for Tunisia.
Puerto Rico made a run for it at this point and, with some mistakes Tunisia, wracked up a five-point lead at 13-8. Angel Perez vertically spiked to put the Puerto Ricans six ahead at the TTO and they were cruising to the second set climax.
A huge snapped spike from Hosni Karamosly pulled one back for Tunisia but this was matched by Rodriguez the other side of the net.
An excellent diagonal spike from Alexis Matias brought the score to 21-14, triggering a TO from Giacobbe, but it was too late to stop the inevitable.
Enrique Escalante tipped over for set point and this was wrapped up when Jose Rivera spiked in from the left.
Tunisia finally started clicking at the start of the third set, with the likes of Karamosly having more conviction with some heavy spikes, and they went into the first TTO leading.
Puerto Rico battled back and leveled at 11-11 when Soto’s spike was blocked out of bounds. Tunisia came back, though, and led by three at the second TTO after Ben Hassine’s spike in the middle pinballed around the Puerto Ricans’ court.
Puerto Rico were chasing now and Soto’s spike reduced the lead to two at 19-17, before Matias cut it to one with a slapped down spike.
Puerto Rico leveled at 20-20, with their tactic of giving the ball to Soto time and time again working well — again.
Things were tight, though, and the set looked as like it could still go either way.
But Puerto Rico got their noses in front at 23-22 through Jose Rivera, Soto pushed over a lucky shot for match point and Rodriguez smashed down for the winner.