They emerged first in a thrilling, two and a half hour long, semifinal encounter against Italy, disabling opponents to play the final for the first time in 12 years 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 15-11)!
Top scorers: Serbia – Uroš Kovačević 20 pts, Italy – Ivan Zaytsev 21 pts.
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SRB vs. ITA
15:11 – Vettori makes mistake from the service line. Serbia win
14:11 – Lanza finds the way
14:10 – What a point by Marko Ivovic! Serbia are very close
13:10 – Luburic hits the net
13:9 – Zaytsev sends ball out of bounds again
12:9 – Luburic leads Serbia in these moments
11:8 – Ivan Zaytsev sends ball wide. Huge lead for Serbia
10:8 – The best rally so far in this match! Stankovic stops Zaytsev
9:8 – Risky set by Jovovic, Lisinac barely scores
8:8 – Great battle! Juantorena finishes rally
8:7 – Magnificent move by Ivovic
7:7 – Lisinac! Boom
6:7 – Ivovic touches the net
6:6 – Luburic scores
5:6 – Stankovic hits the net
5:5 – Zaytsev sends ball wide from the service line
4:5 – Lanza with a good finish
4:4 – Birarelli misses
3:4 – Kovacevic somehow finds the way
2:4 – Pianno again
2:3 – Strong finish by Luburic this time
1:3 – Piano stops Luburic
1:2 – Juantorena brings new lead to Italy
1:1 – Lisinac answers on the other side
0:1 – Ivan Zaytsev opens tie-break with a good spike
5TH SET
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18:25 – Mistake by Kovacevic from the service line
17:24 – Italy have large number of set points
14:20 – Juantorena leads Italy
14:19 – Serbia are still alive
11:19 – Italy will definitely tie the game
11:17 – Ivovic is there
10:17 – Birarelli with a first tempo spike
9:16 – Another block of the Italians
9:15 – Ivovic scores
8:14 – Kovacevic ends scoring run of Italy
7:14 – Jovovic receives red card from the referee! It’s a gift from the Serbian side. Grbic asks for time out
7:13 – Kovacevic commits mistake
7:12 – Mistake by Podrascanin. Long contact with the ball
7:11 – Juantorena hits the net
6:11 – Huge advantage of Italy
6:10 – Lanza with a good block on Luburic
6:9 – Serve error, Ivovic
6:8 – Ivovic! Good reaction by the Serbian receiver
5:8 – Juantorena tricks the Serbian triple block
5:7 – Pianno answers on the other side
5:6 – Sky jump of Ivovic
4:6 – Not that good set of Jovovic for Lisinac, who hits the net
4:4 – Luburic! Great move, ball touches the fingers of the Italian and goes out
3:4 – Good pipe by Juantorena
3:3 – Jovovic grounds Lanza
2:3 – Zaytsev with a point
2:2 – Uros Kovacevic scores! Zaytsev tries to stop him…
1:2 – Lanza with a strong finish
1:1 – After probably the longest rally so far in this game, Zaytsev scores. The ball hits block and goes out
1:0 – Juantorena makes mistake from the service line
4TH SET
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25:23 – Buti sends ball wide! Serbia lead 2-1
24:23 – Another magnificent move by Uros Kovacevic. Ivan Zaytsev couldn’t belive
23:23 – Kovacevic keeps Serbia in race
22:23 – Luburic sends ball wide! Italy have the lead
22:22 – Buti stops Kovacevic
22:21 – ACE. Juantorena
22-20 – Lisinac commits another error! It is 11th error of Serbia in this set
22:19 – Ball goes out after Zaytsev’s spike! Video check confirms it
21:19 – Another mistake by Serbian side. Jovovic sends not that good ball for Lisinac
21:18 – Zaytsev stops Kovacevic
21:17 – Ivovic’s footfaul
21:16 – Italy get into trouble! Ivan Zaytsev hits the net
20:16 – Juantorena sends ball wide
19:16 – Good first tempo by Lisinac
18:16 – Another point for Italy
18:15 – Luburic commits error
18:14 – Lanza sends ball wide
17:14 – Serbia have three point lead
16:14 – Juantorena stops Luburic
16:13 – Ace by Lanza
16:11 – Stankovic with a flot serve
14:11 – After a long time, after discussing with referee
14:10 – Kovacevic scores for Serbia again
13:9 – Uros Kovacevic again!
12:9 – Kovacevic finishes it
11:9 – Lisinac with a serve mistake
10:7 – Mistake of Juantorena
9:7 – Lisinac! Destroys the floor
8:6 – Ivovic again!
7:6 – Good set by Kovacevic, even better finish by Ivovic
6:6 – Lisinac with a good point
5:6 – Stankovic makes serve mistake
5:5 – Stankovic again
4:5 – Italy receive point. Yellow card for Ivovic
4:4 – Captain Stankovic scores
3:4 – Zaytsev is good
3:3 – Rally will be repeated after video check! but, Ivan Zaytsev is on the ground as he collided with Kovacevic
3:2 – ACE! Drazen Luburic destroys Juantorena
2:2 – Great kill of Luburic!
3RD SET
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25:21 – Luburic scores an ace
24:21 – UROS again! Serbia have three set points
23:21 – Italians ask for video challenge! No touch by Kovacevic, who gives Serbia two-point lead
22:21 – Luburic again! Serbia have the lead
21:21 – Brdjovic replaces Jovovic! He sets good ball for Luburic
20:21 – Giannelli makes serve mistakes
19:21 – Giannelli! ACE
19:20 – Fourth consecutive point by Zaytsev
19:19 – AND again! Ivan Zaytsev stopps Kovacevic
19:18 – The “Tzar” is on fire
18:17 – Incredible move by Zaytsev
18:16 – Lisinac! Jovovic finds him after a long time
17:16 – Great point of Juantorena
17:15 – Ivovic with a passionate reaction after block on Zaytsev
16-15 – Zaytsev’s serve mistake! It’s time for second TTO
15:15 – Lanza hits, ball touches the top of the Serbian block and goes out
15:14 – Luburic finds the way from a difficult situation
14:14 – Ivovic has a good choice on the other side
13:14 – Zaytsev scores
13:13 – Juantorena with a mistake
12:13 – Mistake by Ivovic, he stepped on the third meter line
12:12 – All tied
11:11 – Juantorena hits the block, the ball goes to wide
11:10 – Mistake by Kovacevic
11:9 – Juantorena’s strong spike lands on the Serbian side of court
11:8 – Luburic finds the way
10:7 – Zaytsev sends ball wide. This is the biggest lead of Serbia so far in this set
8:7 – Zaytsev!
8:6 – Luburic sends both teams to the TTO
7:6 – Lanza with a good finish
6:4 – Uros Kovacevic! ACE. It’s his 10th point. He is first player with double digits
5:4 – First point of Podrascanin in this game
4:4 – Mistake by Juantorena
WL 2016
3:4 – Buti ties with a huge block on Kovacevic
3:2 – Kovacevic against the triple block
2:2 – Ivovic ties again
1:1 – Birarelli with serve mistake
2ND SET
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23:25 – ZAytsev! Italy lead 1-0
23:24 – Italy have the first set point
23:23 – Juantorena scores this time
23:22 – Juantorena sends ball wide
22:22 – ALL tied! Ace by Sottile. Time out Serbia
22:21 – Luburic sends ball out of bounds
22:20 – Mistake of Podrascanin
22:19 – Italy don’t want to surrender! Zaytsev scires
22:17 – Lisinac gets angry! ACE
21:17 – Luburic with a strong spike
20:17 – Juantorena ends scoring run
20:16 – Another good move by Kovacevic
19:16 – Kovacevic scores seventh point! We have to say that Jovovic had two great defensive moves
18:16 – Good reaction of Kovacevic
17:16 – Lisinac stops Birarelli
16:16 – Giannelli creates perfect volleuball dump
16:15 – Ivovic sends teams to the second TTO
15:15 – Ivan Zaytsev again
15:14 – Luburic with a good spike
14:14 – Lanza scores
14:13 – Again Uros Kovacevic
13:12 – Kovacevic tricks triple block of Italy
12:12 – And first point for Zaytsev
12:11 – Zaytsev makes mistake. He is still without point
11:11 – Birarelli with good first tempo
11:10 – Luburic scores
10:10 – Giannelli with a good volleyball dump
9:9 – All tied
9:8 – Ivovic with a strong finish
8:8 – Lanza finds the way
8:7 – Kovacevic makes serve mistake
8:6 – Kovacevic ends long rally
7:6 – Luburic hits the net from the service line
7:5 – Italy with the mistake. Serbia have two-point lead again
5:4 – Lisinac with the score
4:4 – Another point of Italy
4:3 – Giannelli stops Kovacevic
4:2 – Italy with the reaction
4:0 – Really a strong start of Serbia! Blengini asks for time-out
3:0 – Kovacevic stops Zaytsev. Good start of Serbia
2:0 – War of the setters! Giannelli spikes, but Jovovic scores!
1:0 – Ivovic scores ACE
1ST SET
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17:27 – LINE UPS: Serbia – Kovacevic, Ivovic, Jovovic, Luburic, Podrascanin, Lisinac, Majstorovic Juantorena, Giannelli, Zaytsev, Lanza, Buti, Birarelli, Colaci
17:10 – Nikic is beside the court right now, warming up with the libero Rosic
17:07 – The teams have started warming up
FINALS 1ST GROUP – 179 / SEMIFINALS – 13 / –
| Game | Date/Time | Teams | Set | Result per set | Stats | Videos | ||
| Semifinal 1 | 16. 07. 2016 17:30 | Serbia | vs | Italy | 2:2 | 23:25; 25:21; 25:23; 18:25; | ||
| Semifinal 2 | 16. 07. 2016 20:30 | France | vs | Brazil | 0:0 | |||
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