A good introduction to the World Cup, but what an effort! 39-37 in the third set! – OA game

First win for the Azzurri at the 2022 Men’s Volleyball World Championship. Fefè De Giorgi-coached national team’s trip starts with 3-0 win against Canada. Someone who can take an already basic three-pointer on merit, perhaps with a little more effort.

All was easy in the first half with the Blues running away with the score already at center stage. The ball transition works well when Gianluca Galassi starts a “wall festival” that lasts the whole game. 25-13 Italy go 1-0.

The second set starts on the same track as the previous one. Simone Gianelli lines up play with great precision and balance, questioning both his high ball forwards and his center balls. The offense on the other side of the net is starting to do a little better, but it’s too little to counter Blue’s quality.

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In the third, something goes on in the blue half of the pitch, where small errors and inattentions begin to pile up. Canada, with their backs against the wall, including hitter Stephen Marr, can’t help but react in desperation. The result was a very even set, in which Italy managed to win the twelfth match point, only 39-37 thanks to an attack by Alessandro Micheletto.

Italy leave the Stosis Arena in Ljubljana with three points and a lot of positive ideas to bring to the next matches, but with some small warning bells. The data against the wall is interesting and encouraging (14 walls hit in total), but it is necessary to improve the transfer of the ball and to see more intensity in the service that will already see it engaged against the Azzurri in the next match. Turkey.

Daniel Lavia finished the game as the top scorer with 18 points Obtained with fourteen successful attacks and four point walls. The same figure on the wall as Gianluca Calachi, unbeaten in the first phase of the tournament. The Blues had just four aces, distributed between Romano, Micheletto, Galassi and Giannelli against 17 errors.

Italy-Canada schedule

Italy vs Canada 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 39-37)

Italy: Lavia (18), Romano (14), Galassi (11), Micheletto (11), Russo (6), Giannelli (4)

Canada: Sclater (12), Schwark (6), Marr (6), Barnes (5), Van Bergel (4), Howe (4), Loebke (3)

Photo: FIVB