MANILA – Canada outplayed Japan on the way to a 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 Pool G victory in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Monday.
The win likewise enabled the North Americans to grab 16.32 ranking points from Japan and moved a spot up the world to No. 8, just below the crowd favorite Asian powerhouse.
Japan will remain No. 7 but is already out of contention for the title.
Opposite Sharone Vernon-Evans Sho led Canada with a match-high 14 points, including the block-out hit that closed the game. He registered a 52 percent success rate in attack and put away one ace and one kill block.
Outside hitter and captain Nicholas Hoag also fired one ace, to which he added 12 spike kills at a 60 percent success rate to finished with 13 points.
“We are over the moon, for sure. Qualifying to the playoffs is a huge step. That was our goal and we knew, coming into this match, we had a real opportunity to do that, so I am glad. The fight in the guys — you could just feel it from the start once we got here that we were on it and we just never let up. It’s amazing!” Sho said in the post-match interview. “We will all be ready to go to fight Turkey for first place.”
Japan outserved Canada by 7-3 in aces, with popular outside hitter Ran Takahashi and opposite Kento Miyaura each authoring two of those. They both reached double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. The other three aces were delivered by star outside and captain Yuki Ishikawa.
The last two Pool G games, between unbeaten squads Canada and Turkiye for first place, and between Japan and Libya for first win and third place, will be played Wednesday.
World No. 10 Germany, meanwhile, outplayed Chile on all scoring counts for a 25-17, 25-23, 25-21 win at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Germany’s 40-year-old star opposite and captain Gyorgy Grozer led the way with a match-high 19 points.
“It was a difficult game for us. We were upset after the loss against Bulgaria. I think it was a tough game, but maybe we could have done something more there … So, it was important for us to step up again and make one step ahead. And now we are looking forward to our first small final,” Germany setter Jan Zimmermann said.
Opposite Vicente Parraguirre was Chile’s most prolific scorer with 14 points, all in swings at a solid success rate of 64 percent.
Also at Araneta, the Netherlands scored its second win at the expense of Romania, 25-23, 26-24, 26-24, and took the lead in Pool B. (FIVB Media)
