Argentina achieved a huge win on Day 3 of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s volleyball tournament.
In a very intense Pool B’s match, the national team of Argentina earned a huge 3-2 victory against France and returned to the battle for the quarterfinals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s volleyball tournament – partially 23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-25, and 15-13. Thanks to an immense collective game that left the blow suffered against Brazil – when Argentina was so close to the feat – into oblivion, the squad commanded by Marcelo Méndez got itself a chance of qualifying to the elimination phase for which it will need to down Tunisia on Friday. Now, the situation gets complicated for France as it conceded the second defeat in the event. To hope to play in the quarterfinals, ’Les Bleus’ will have to win at least one of its last two matches in Pool B – against the Russian Olympic Committee and Brazil. And both are medal contenders.
France could have easily lost in four instead of five sets if its head coach Laurent Tillied hasn’t made the setter change in the fourth set, sending Benjamin Toniutti on the court instead of Antoine Brizard. Bruno Lima top-scored Argentina with 18 points but the South Americans had three more players in double digits. Cristian Poglajen made 80 % reception (16/20). A duo Trévor Clévenot and Jean Patry stood out for the losing side with 24 and 22 points, respectively.
Nobody expected that the Venezuelans would win one set against Poland in their Pool A’s encounter. But, the South American side took advantage of the fact that the head coach of its rival, Vital Heynen, gave the chance to several backups from the start of the match. For the first time in three matches, Poland’s captain Michał Kubiak, who is struggling with a back injury, was included in the game – and that from the start.
Heynen had to send Bartosz Kurek into the game in the third set because Venezuela gained the huge lead and ultimately won the set. The Belgian expert no longer wanted to gamble and left Kurek on the court for the rest of the match, which resulted in taking the fourth set and the win. Kamil Semeniuk top-scored Poland with 24 points, including as many as 6 aces. Ronald Fayola tallied 13 points for winless Venezuela.
2020 Tokyo Olympics men’s volleyball tournament, group stage – Day 3:
Canada – Iran 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-22)
USA – Tunisia 3-1 (25-14 23-25 26-14 25-23)
Argentina – France 3-2 (23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-25, 15-13)
Poland – Venezuela 3-1 (25-16, 25-13, 18-25, 25-15)
Japan – Italy, 12:40 p.m. CET
Brazil – ROC, 14:45 p.m. CET
