Italy’s men’s volleyball team continued their impressive run in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), defeating Cuba 3-1 in the opening quarterfinal of the Finals, held at the Beilun Sport and Arts Centre in Ningbo. The Italians triumphed with set scores of 25-18, 25-18, 20-25, and 25-21, securing the first ticket to the semifinals on August 2 at 07:00 UTC.
With this win, Italy notched their 11th victory of the tournament, adding to their dominant performances during the preliminary rounds in Canada, the USA, and Slovenia. The team now awaits their semifinal opponent, to be determined after the France vs. Slovenia match on July 31 at 07:00 UTC.
Powerful Start and Composed Finish
Italy quickly took control in the first two sets, showing their precision in attack and consistency on defense. Alessandro Michieletto was a standout with 18 points, while Kamil Rychlicki added 16. After losing momentum in the third set, the Italians bounced back in the fourth, closing the match with renewed intensity and focus.
“It was a difficult match because Cuba can beat anyone,” said Michieletto after the match. “But we stayed calm and pushed hard in the right moments.”
Cuba’s Strong Offense Undone by Errors
Cuba led the match in total attacks with 55 spike points to Italy’s 42 but were undone by 37 unforced errors. Marlon Yant once again led the Cuban side with 22 points but lacked the team support needed to outlast the Italian strategy and discipline.
“We gave everything today, but Italy played smarter,” said Cuban middle blocker Javier Concepcion. “We’ll regroup for the World Championship.”
Remaining VNL Quarterfinal Schedule (UTC Time):
- Brazil vs 🇨🇳 China – July 30 at 11:00 UTC
- France vs 🇸🇮 Slovenia – July 31 at 07:00 UTC
- Japan vs 🇵🇱 Poland – July 31 at 11:00 UTC
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