Less than 24 hours after beating Brazil in front of their home fans, Germany performs another small miracle in Rio de Janeiro.
In what can only be described as a monumental achievement, the German volleyball team continued their stunning run at the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament by downing Italy. This sensational victory comes less than a day after their remarkable triumph against Brazil in their own backyard.
Showing no signs of fatigue, the Germans displayed a riveting performance, maintaining the dynamic momentum from their previous match to overcome the Italians with a 3-1 scoreline (26-24, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23) at the iconic Maracanãzinho. This win ensures they sit comfortably atop Pool A, as the sole undefeated team.
The heroics of György Grozer were in full display as he wowed fans with an astounding 31-point performance. His teammates, Moritz Reichert and Anton Brehme, complemented his efforts with 12 points each, highlighting the Germans’ teamwork and coordination.
On the opposing side, Italy showcased resilience with impressive plays from Yuri Romanò, who contributed 16 points, and Alessandro Michieletto chipping in with 14 points.
Earlier in the day, Czechia achieved their maiden victory in the tournament by overcoming Iran 3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20). The Czech offensive duo of Lukas Vasina and Jan Hadrava were pivotal, amassing 26 and 22 points respectively.
In the third match of today’s Pool A schedule in Brazil, Cuba defeated Qatar with a clean sweep of 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16). Miguel Angel Lopez from Cuba was the top scorer of the match with 12 points, followed by Javier Concepcion with 9 and Jesus Herrera contributing 7 for Cuba’s victory. On the Qatari side, Renan Ribeiro was the most efficient, securing 10 points.
In the final game of the day, Brazil was tested to the limit, going five sets against Ukraine but eventually securing a 3-2 victory (36-38, 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11). This win keeps their Olympic qualification aspirations from the tournament alive. Darlan de Souza of Brazil was the top scorer with 23 points, while Illia Kovalov of Ukraine contributed 20 points for his team.
Pool A – Day 4
Czechia vs. Iran 3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20)
Germany vs. Italy 3-1 (26-24, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23)
Cuba vs. Qatar 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-16)
Brazil vs. Ukraine 3-2 (36-38, 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11)