Intense competitors between China and Philippines on Sunday
Isa City, Bahrain, June 2, 2024 – Robust groups demolished lower-ranked sides in comfy straight units to get their highly-anticipated campaigns off to sensible begins within the 2024 AVC Problem Cup for Males, which is being held at Isa Sports activities Metropolis Corridor C from June 2 to 9.
Twelve groups are testing their mettle on this topflight competitors to vie for high honor and the lone berth for the 2024 FIVB Males’s Challenger Cup in Linyi, China from July 4 to 7, which is able to function the final qualification event for eight certified groups together with hosts China to battle it out for a spot within the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), which is able to increase to 18 groups.
On Sunday, the very first day of the eight-day event, robust groups Pakistan, Australia, Korea and China celebrated their first victories in Bahrain. Pakistan beat Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-21), with Australia disregarding Chinese language Taipei 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-17), Korea powering previous Indonesia 3-0 (25-11, 25-16, 25-9) and China overcoming Philippines 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22).
Within the curtain-raisers between world No.49 Pakistan, which captured the current CAVA Nations League title after 3-1 demolition of Turkmenistan within the ultimate showdown on house soil in Islamabad on Could 18, made a strong begin within the event to tug off an distinctive win in opposition to world No.55 Kazakhstan in Pool B.
Pakistan, fielding a powerful lineup led by Ali Usman Faryad, who landed Greatest Outdoors Hitter and MVP on the CAVA Nations League, Musawer Khan and Naveed Muhammad Kashif, the respective Greatest Center Blocker and the Greatest Setter within the aforementioned competitors, whereas Kazakhstan had many gamers from the 2023 version again to strengthen the group together with veteran Vorivodin Vitaliy.
With an excellent efficiency, Pakistan triumphed in a improbable 3-0 battle in opposition to Kazakhstan, which didn’t make their mark to complete a below-par seventh on the earlier version in Chinese language Taipei final 12 months and a disappointing thirteenth place on the Asian Senior Males’s Championship in Uremia, Iran on the identical 12 months.
Murad Khan scored a match-high 21 factors from 19 kills and two blocks for Pakistan, whereas Vorivodin Vitaliy handed Kazakhstan 14 factors together with 12 kills on the group’s loss.
The second match noticed world No.34 Australia show too robust for Chinese language Taipei to overpower the world No.44 in straight units in Pool D.
Australia began solidly within the event, aiming for a greater comeback this time after a disappointing fifth place final 12 months. Their extra dedication and constant play of their opener in opposition to Chinese language Taipei bore fruits with 25-21, 25-17, 25-17 win.
Sam Flowerday performed a key position within the Australia’s convincing win on this match, delivering 16 factors from 12 kills, three blocks and one ace, whereas Jheng Who-Jhih led Chinese language Taipei with 10 factors from 31 makes an attempt.
In Pool C, Korea, bronze medallists on the earlier version of the AVC Problem Cup, cruised their well past the Indonesians in a completely one-sided battle 25-11, 25-16, 25-9.
With outdoors hitter Kim Jihan and reverse Shin Hojin showcasing their prowess with distinctive assaults and Shin Hojin and Choi Junhyeok producing strong blocks, the Koreans had been extremely dominant in all three units as they gave no probability to the younger rivals to win comfy straight units.
Kim Jihan tallied 16 factors together with 14 kills for Korea, whereas Shin Hojin and Choi Junhyeok saved good firm so as to add 13 and 10 factors respectively. Korea restricted the Indonesian offense to the purpose that no rivals’ participant acquired to achieve double digits in scoring in opposition to them. Nibras Fauzan was the most efficient participant for Indonesia with 8 factors from 7 kills and one ace.
The Korea’s dominance was additionally seen within the match stats because the winners dominated in all parts consisting of kills (38 to 19), blocks (14 to 2) and aces (8 to 1), apart from benefiting from extra opponent errors (15 to 14).
Within the final encounter of the day, world No.32 China, a well-earned fourth place on the Urmia-hosted Asian Senior Males’s Championship in Iran final 12 months, struggled to beat world No.57 Philippines in hard-fought three-setter 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 in Pool A.
China, regardless of their excessive rating in Asia and the world, had been relegated from final 12 months’s VNL by advantage of being the bottom-ranked nation within the 16-team area and are searching for their manner again to the world-class competitors.
China are making their debut within the AVC Problem Cup in Bahrain, however had already boasted a powerful observe report in some continental tournaments together with the 2022 AVC Cup in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, the place they reigned supreme, and the final 12 months’s Hangzhou Asian Video games, which they picked up silver on house soil.
The Philippines additionally despatched a powerful group combined between seasoned veterans and promising younger skills, with Marck Jesus Espejo skippering the squad and out of doors hitter Joshua Umandal and center blocker Kim Malabunga orchestrating the offense.
The Philippines fought effectively in a seesaw first set, however with a string of unforced errors largely coming from the service space on the house stretch, ensuing within the Asian powerhouses China’s 24-19 lead and reverse Leo Ordiales botched his assault try and drop the opening set 19-25.
Within the second set, China as soon as once more dictated the tempo, with captain Jiang Chuan and Zhang Jingyin on fireplace. Nonetheless, the Philippines tried arduous to counter-attack and trailed intently behind 15-16, however after that they grew to become extra susceptible with errors which disrupted them from gaining the lead. China stormed on to take a 24-21 edge, because of a Jiang Chuan’s lethal spike. The Philippines managed to avoid wasting one set level, however center blocker Wang Dongchen nailed a pointy hit at hand China the 25-22 win within the thrilling set.
It was an identical script within the third set when the Philippines showcased their firepower in an effort of catching up with the Chinese language, who set an early tempo 17-16. Nonetheless, the Philippine efforts didn’t repay effectively as China maintained their momentum to construct up a 21-19 benefit and stretch it to 24-21. Outdoors hitter Jade Alex Disquitado saved the day for Philippines with an assault, however Jiang Chuan lastly ended the Philippine problem, delivering a ending blow with a strong cross-court hammer. China took the set 25-22 and match.
Zhang Jingyin chipped in with 15 factors from 14 kills and one block for China, whereas Jiang Chuan contributed one other 13 factors. Leo Ordiates and Joshua Umandal scored 10 factors apiece on the Philippines’ straight-set loss.
Groups will proceed their pool play on Monday, with Vietnam contesting their first match in opposition to Australia in Pool D and Pakistan going up in opposition to defending champions Thailand in Pool B. Qatar, silver medallists on the 2023 FIVB Challenger Cup on house soil in Doha, will make their debut effort on this event in opposition to Korea in Pool C and hosts Bahrain, which secured silver medal on the earlier version of the AVC Problem Cup for Males in Chinese language Taipei final 12 months, will face off in opposition to Philippines in Pool A.
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The publish STRAIGHT-SET SWEEPS HIGHLIGHT DAY 1 OF 2024 AVC CHALLENGE CUP FOR MEN IN BAHRAIN appeared first on Asian Volleyball Confederation.
