Day 6 Wrap Up
Nakhon Pathom,Thailand, August 13, 2022 – Unbeaten China set up highly-anticipated final showdown with Japan in the Sunday’s 2022 AVC Cup for Men at the Nakhon Pathom Provincial Gymnasium, with the former making fantastic comeback to beat Korea in epic tie-breaker and the latter capturing convincing straight-set win against Bahrain in the action-packed semifinals on Saturday.
China, which became the only team yet losing a match to their respective rivals en route to the Sunday’s final clash, sealed hard-fought five-set thriller 20-25, 25-17, 32-34, 29-27, 17-15 against Korea.
China, world No.19 and 13th place at this year’s VNL, faced an uphill task against Korea, world No.39 and bronze medallists at the recent FIVB Challenger Cup. Talented Zhang Jingyin, Peng Shikun and Zhang Guanhua spearheaded the China’s offence as Korea were made strong with the likes of powerful hitter Heo Subong, who scored a tournament-high 33 points in the Korea’s match against Australia in the Challenger Cup in Seoul, and star spiker Lim Sungjin and hard-attacking Na Gyeongbok.
Earlier, fired-up Japan, fielding their second-string B team, advanced into the showdown after demolishing debutants Bahrain in straight sets 27-25, 25-15, 25-20. Japan proved one of the strong teams with excellent defence to be reckoned with in this topflight tournament.
“Against Bahrain, we started well in the first set and after we won it, we were confident of playing in the second set. We adjusted and analysed Bahrain’s attacks and improved on our defence. In the final, facing either China or Korea, we have to prepare our team and get ready, physically and mentally, for the tough match,” Japan head coach Koichiro Shimbo commented after the match.
As Qatar did not return to defend their title achieved four years ago in the 2018 edition in Chinese Taipei (the 2020 edition in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic), China have eye on their second title in this top-tier competition after their first success in 2012 in Vietnam, while Japan also have their sights firmly set on their unprecedented title in the AVC Cup for Men.
So, either China or Japan win the Sunday’s showdown, they will be crowned new champions, with the former reclaiming their title they had won 10 years ago and the latter making history to win the title for the first time ever.
On Sunday, Korea, which reigned supreme in the 2014 edition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Bahrain will…
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