Brazil – Poland
With the top two teams in Pool A and B, along with the winner of Pool C joining hosts Argentina in the World League Finals due to take place in Mar del Plata from July 17 to 21, Bulgaria and Brazil top Pool A with five points with wins over France and Poland respectively while Russia and Serbia have six points in Pool B following impressive victories against Iran and Cuba respectively.
Finland lead Pool C on set ratio ahead of the Netherlands who both have nine points from three wins and one defeat.
Brazil’s two wins over defending champions Poland were particularly impressive considering they were achieved on Polish soil – 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 25-15) in Warsaw on Friday and 3-2 (28-26, 25-22, 23-25, 20-25, 15-10) in the FIVB Match of the Week in Lodz on Sunday.
Brazil, coming off a sixth-place finish in last year’s World League, its worst result since the inception of the World League in 1990, looked to immediately make amends by claiming their 20th and 21st wins from 29 World League matches against Poland.
Poland, in their first World League appearance since becoming the seventh country to win the World League title in 2012, saw their seven-match World League winning streak come to an end by nine-time champions Brazil. Poland‘s last World League loss, on June 10 last year, was a 3-1 setback to Brazil. However, that was the only one of the five matches played between the countries in World League play last year that Brazil won.
Brazil is the most successful country in World League history. The Brazilians hold the record for most titles (nine), most podiums (16), most match wins (296) and most sets won (972). Brazil is one of only two countries to have participated in all 24 editions of the World League. The other is Italy.
To read more news from this competition click on World League 2013 M.
