After the extraordinary success of Italy and Slovenia yesterday, The Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2022 quarter-final program continues today. On the pitch today at the Gliwice Arena, first Argentina, Brazil and then host Poland against the United States.
The South American derby between Argentina and Brazil will take place at 5:30 pm, Replay the final for the bronze medal in the last Olympics. As much at that time as today, Verdioro starts as a mandatory candidate, but if last August’s match taught us something, it is precisely that there are no discounted matches at this level and that the Argentines should not be underestimated.
Having struggled a lot in the group stage and entered the last 16 among the top thirds, Luciano De Sico and his teammates will try to play for a place in the top four. To do that, you’ll need a deluxe version of Argentina like the one seen in the second round against Serbia where Bruno Lima, Facundo Conte and Agustin Loser performed on the verge of perfection.
On the green side of the field, the inclusion of midfielder Fernando Krilling ‘Cachupa’ has given a sparkle to a national team that has looked a bit lackluster in the past few games. Yoandy Leal is the most dangerous man ever, and under Riccardo Lucarelli’s as-yet-unverified physical conditions, great responsibilities in attack will rest on his shoulders and those of the corresponding Wallace de Sousa.
Volleyball, World Cup 2022, Fifi de Giorgi: “A big step, let’s play now for the medals”
At 21.00 it will be time for the hosts of Poland who will have to deal with the always ambitious United States. The two teams already met in the group when, thanks to Bartosz Couric, the Poles managed to win 3-1 over the Americans. But woe to underestimating the choice of stars and stripes in the last VNL, having been conspicuously lost on the set by the Poles, were able to find their revenge in a dominant semi-final.
In addition to Kurek, the red-and-white formation can count on solidity in both reception and attack of the hitter Kamil Semeniuk, Big promotion for the Safety of Perugia from next year. At the disposal of the designer Marcin Janusz is also a super battery of power plants formed by Mateusz Bieniek and Jakub Kochanowski, capable of providing great certainty in attack as well as on mass.
Less complete in team work but often more organized than others from a tactical point of view is the US team. The reference points are hitter Aaron Russell and opposite Matthew Anderson, who has always pulled off the best of all by stylist Micah Christenson. In the surprisingly difficult round of 16 against Turkey, it was clear that the best player on the field was quarterback David Smith, the spiritual and charismatic leader of this group.
Expectations are therefore skewed in favor of a star semi-final match between Brazil and Poland, but both Argentina and the USA are very uncomfortable clients especially in the knockout challenges. What is certain is that two matches of very high quality await us and that the four teams will put on a great show.
Photo: FIVB
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