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Weekend 4
Japan recovers to win
tiebreak
 Komaki,
Japan, July 5, 2008: Japan missed two match points in
the third set but recovered to beat Egypt 3-2 in World
League Pool D at Park Arena Komaki on Saturday. Japan
improved their win- loss record to 3-4, while Egypt
dropped to 3-4.
The home team was on course for a straight-sets victory
after winning the first two sets 25-19, 25-22, but lost
the next two 29-27, 26-24.
In front of a full house of 4,875, Japan took the
tiebreak 15-10 to complete a hard-fought 3-2 win.
The victory improved their win-loss record to 3-4 in the
Intercontinental Round, while dropping the Africans to
the same mark.
Egypt had won both games 3-1 in Egypt.
Egypt reached the first TTO ahead 8-6 after some good
work at the net from Mohamed Ali and Abdel Latif and
good blocking on Japanese southpaw Takahiro Yamamoto by
Ahmed Salah.
The Africans' own southpaw ace, Salah, had the crowd
gasping when he rose and spiked powerfully from the
right.
On the restart, Japanese setter Daisuke Usami provided
an expert dig on Salah, enabling Yamamoto to score from
the right, and Kota Yamamura pounded home a loose ball
for 12-10, forcing Egypt into a TO.
Japan knew they would have to get a grip on Salah before
he could cause too much damage, but the block was
struggling to contain his ferocious attacks.
With better blocking on Mohamed Moneim by Yoshihiko
Matsumoto, Japan were able to open a four-point lead,
16-12, at the second TTO.
Moneim was replaced by captain Hamdy Elsafi on the
restart, but Japan had the momentum and were looking
good to see out the set as Yu Koshikawa spiked from the
left.
Setter Ahmed Abdalla slowed Japan down with some
fireball serves, including an ace, but Egypt needed a
second TO at 19-15.
Yamamoto blazed Japan to 22-17, but when Salah cut the
gap to 22-19 with another unstoppable attack from the
right, Japan took a TO.
Yusuke Ishijima put Japan back on track, and Koshikawa
patted one over into a big space for set point at 24-19.
The same player finished it 25-19, 1-0 Japan.
In the second set, Mahmoud Raouf attacked hard down the
left, combining power with placement, and Moneim added
more points on this route.
Japan reached the first TTO with their noses in front,
8-7, but a well-placed ace from Abdalla edged Egypt
ahead 9-8.
When Salah continued his right-wing barrage on the next
point for 10-8, Japan called a TO, their block unable to
deal with the southpaw's vicious spikes.
Egypt's block had improved considerably, forcing Japan
into attack errors, but the Africans' poor serving
prevented them from pulling away.
In reply, Koshikawa was producing some athletic winners
from the back court and out wide, and Japan led 16-13 at
the second TTO on a Yamamoto counter.
On the restart, Ali tried to get Egypt moving again with
some clean winners at the net, and Moneim and Mohamed
Gabal further reduced the arrears.
When Egypt fell behind 20-18 on another serve error,
coach Ahmed Zakaria took them off for a TO.
Saleh Fathy gave Egypt fresh impetus down the stretch
and kept his team within striking distance, but Japan
raised their game at the right time and forced Egypt
into a TO on set point at 24-21.
Yamamoto finished it on the right at the second time of
asking, 25-22 for 2-0.
Egypt had made 18 errors in the first two sets, compared
to Japan's seven.
At 7-7 in the third set, Matsumoto fired Japan into the
first TTO with a one-point lead.
A powerful back-court attack from Saleh Fathy quickly
brought the scores level again, and Salah continued to
pound away on the right with his sizzling southpaw
spikes. He also got his big serve working, and Japan
called a TO down 12-10 on an Ishijima attack error.
On the restart, Egypt targeted the attacks of Yamamoto
with their block defence, and led by three, 16-13, at
the second TTO.
Poor Japan serving enabled the deficit to grow to four
points as the set progressed, and Japan would have to
raise their game considerably to prevent a fourth set.
Saleh Fathy was in good form, though, and kept Egypt
ticking over with his adventurous spikes.
When Egypt's lead dropped to two, 22-20, coach Zakaria
took his players off for a TO, still requiring three
points to secure the third set.
Suddenly they had begun to snatch at their chances, and
when they lost the next two points, too, for 22-22,
Egypt called another TO.
In a tense end to the third set, Japan missed two match
points before Egypt won it 29-27 on their third set
point, thanks to a block on Fukuzawa.
The Egyptians were really enjoying themselves now, and
going for their shots with nothing to lose against an
opponent struggling to find their momentum.
Leading 8-7 at the first TTO, Japan could not pull away
as Egypt matched fire with fire.
Tomimatsu blocked Salah to lift home spirits, but
Japan's serving had disintegrated and easy points were
handed to the opposition.
When Saleh Fathy pounded another winner on the left for
13-11, Japan called a TO to try and regroup.
Salah welcomed them back with a thundering service ace
for 14-11, and at 14-12, captain Masaji Ogino replaced
Koshikawa.
Another serve error by Japan sent Egypt into the second
TTO with a three-point advantage, 16-13, but this was
cut thanks to Matsumoto's crashing block on Salah.
Yamamoto showed all his experience to pull Japan level
18-18, and Egypt called a TO down 19-18 on a Hossam
attack error.
Hossam was replaced by Abdel Latif on the restart, but
it was Saleh Fathy Japan needed to see off to win this
one.
A Gabal attack error led to a second Egypt TO at 22-20,
but the Africans fought back to 22-22. A gentle serve
from Fathy dropped in for 23-22, and now Japan called a
TO having lost three quick points.
Gabal played a key role down the stretch with some huge
blows before Saleh finished it 26-24 for 2-2 on Egypt's
second set point.
Fathy blocked Yamamoto early in the tiebreak to give
Egypt a psychological boost, and Japan replied with a
Tomimatsu cracker at the net.
Koshikawa and Salah exchanged winners out wide, and
Yamamoto carved one across the block to leave Japan
trailing by one, 5-4.
When Abdel Latif blazed wide at the net, Japan were
level 6-6.
A Koshikawa ace enabled Japan to turn round 8-7 ahead,
and he followed up his next fireball serve with a
flashing back-court winner for 9-7 in an exhilarating
piece of play.
Egypt took a TO to shelter from the Koshikawa storm, and
the break worked as Koshikawa served into the net.
Ishijima showed great persistence to wear down the Egypt
defence for 10-8, and then denied Fathy with a dig which
enabled Yamamoto to fire Japan ahead 11-8.
Egypt took another TO three points down, and that became
four when an inspired Ishijima struck from the left for
12-8.
Koshikawa brought up four match points at 14-10, and a
block on Abdalla ended it 15-10.
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