De Giorgi’s team remains, like a year ago, at the foot of the podium. First medal history for Asians
Italy-Japan 2-3 (18-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 9-15)
Like a year ago. Italy closes the Nations League with a slightly comforting fourth place, the result of two consecutive defeats against the USA and Japan. A knockout that will have to lead De Giorgi to some corrective measures in view of the European Championship in Italy (from 28 August) and then to the Olympic qualification in Brazil. Italy is still in shock when it begins to play the match against Japan, which still does not field Nishida (back injury replaced by Miyamura, also left-handed) and the team coached by Philippe Blain (who also led France and was world champion with Poland in 2014) flies away. Just Miyamura’s joke does important damage, Lavia is impalpable and is replaced by Rinaldi. However, Italy does not turn and clearly loses the first set. In the second set, he is even ahead by 4 points for the whole set, but when it’s time to close the Azzurri who have obvious problems with the ball change get stuck and Japan, always leaning on the attacks of Takahashi and above all Ishikawa, overcome and close: they score 2-0.
Comeback
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The Azzurri back to the wall finally react and with the block they manage to put Japan under. Now Lavia feels better and even Romanò does his job as a striker. For Japan it suddenly becomes much more difficult to pass the Italian wall and the Azzurri easily control the situation and with a shot from Giannelli they shorten the distance. The fourth set follows the third and Italy takes a breather, the attack improves in percentages and De Giorgi’s team evens the score. But in the tiebreak the best Japan is seen again who with serve and block puts a gag on De Giorgi’s team which starts in neutral, immediately loses the right break and goes down in the score 3-6, 4-8, 6-11. Again Ran Takahashi (new signing of Vero Volley Monza) and then Ishikawa give Japan the first historic medal in this event. Italy is still at the foot of the podium like a year ago in Bologna.
July 23 – 7.35pm
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