Brazil booked their place in the semifinals of the Men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a thrilling 3-1 comeback win over hosts China on Wednesday morning (July 30), in Ningbo. The match ended with set scores of 29-31, 25-19, 25-16, and 25-21.
Despite a shaky start and the absence of middle blocker Judson Nunes due to a back injury, the Brazilian squad—led by head coach Bernardinho—showed their trademark grit. After dropping the first set in a tense 39-minute battle, Brazil regrouped, steadied their attack, and took control of the game.
Alan Souza was the standout performer, scoring 26 points, including 23 from attacks. Lukas Bergmann and Matheus Bispo dos Santos also contributed crucial points, with 10 and 9 respectively. For China, opposite Zihua Wen led with 15 points.
Brazil started strong in the opening set but allowed China to rally back with aggressive blocks and better attacking rhythm. The home crowd pushed the Chinese team forward, capitalizing on Brazil’s early errors.
However, the tide shifted in the second set after a powerful serving run by setter Fernando Kreling – Cachopa and a key substitution—Ricardo Lucarelli replacing Henrique Honorato. From there, Brazil maintained momentum. They dominated the third set from start to finish and fought off a spirited Chinese start in the fourth before closing out the match.
With this win, Brazil advances to Saturday’s semifinal, where they’ll face the winner of Thursday’s clash between Japan and Poland. Earlier in the day, Italy defeated Cuba 3-0 and will meet the winner of France vs. Slovenia in the other semifinal.
Broadcasts for the remaining VNL matches are available on VBTV.
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