Defending champions Italy will face Belgium will renew their rivalry in the quarterfinals of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship after chalking up victories over Finland and Argentina respectively in the Philippines.
The two teams faced off in a Pool F clash last Tuesday with Belgium emerging 3-2 winners to eventually top the group unbeaten with eight points. Italy settled second with 7 points from a 2-1 win-loss ratio.
Italy showed why they are still favourites to retain the world title with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) sweep of Argentina in the first knockout stage match at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
In the first set, Italy made a few comebacks from three-point deficits in the score and eventually took the set by the narrowest of margins. They stayed in control for most of the second set to double their lead. Amazingly, both sets were closed with fabulous attacks by Italy’s star setter and captain Simone Giannelli.
Argentina kept the battle up through 20-20 in the third set. A fantastic series of three consecutive aces by opposite Yuri Romano brought Italy to match point. Three rallies later, it was converted to a 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22) victory with an elegant two-handed block-out move by outside hitter Mattia Bottolo.
Belgium were also at their brilliant best against Finland, recovering from a slow start to register a convincing 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-21) win and book a slot in the quarterfinals. This is the first time in 55 years that the Red Dragons have qualified for the quarterfinals.
Back in 1970, they achieved their best result in the history of the competition by finishing eighth. Now, at Philippines 2025, they will at least match that.
In the first set of the match, Belgium wiped out a four-point Finnish lead, before sprinting with four points in a row in the money time to take the set on a successful swing by outside hitter Mathijs Desmet for the winning point.
The western Europeans were well in control of the scoreboard for most of the second set and doubled their lead, with Desmet once again closing the set, this time with a pulverizing overpass kill.
The northern Europeans managed to catch up with Belgium several times during the third set, but the Red Dragons generally stayed in control until 22-year-old opposite Ferre Reggers put an end to the match with a block-out hit and got the Belgian party started at a final score of 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-21).
