Korea
Korea, the FIVB world No.22 which finished sixth in the previous edition two years ago in Urmia, Iran but third at the last year’s Asian meet in Tehran, used their height advantage and a speed-and-power tactics to baffle the oppositions to win the opening set 25-19.
Confident of winning the battle in straight sets, Korea rested their best players and instead fielded all substitutions including Sim Kyoung-Sub, Son Hyun-Jong, Lee Min-Gyu and Song Myung-Geun to take the second set 25-12. Myanmar also rested Aung Thu, one of the team’s dominant forces, in this set.
Korea still came out in full force in the third set, with Song Myung-Geun tearing the rivals’ defence into pieces with his unanswered explosive attacks. As expected, Korea won the set 25-13, again with ease, for the scintillating straight-set victory.
Song Myung-Geum led Korea with 18 points including 11 kills and four scintillating blocks and three ace serves, while Win Tun Oo scored the highest 10 points for Myanmar.
The victory gave Korea a second chance to take on Vietnam, the team they had beaten in straight sets in the pool preliminaries, in the 5th-6th playoff.
