Volleyball Nations League: Italy beat Japan and finish fourth

Two-faced Italy: In the first two sets he is numb and still trapped by the ghosts seen in the semi-final against the United Statesthen became more effective and in the end still under training, They lost 3-2 to Japan in the final for third place in the Nations League (25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 17-25, 9-15). A platform that the Japanese celebrate as a victory they have never reached before. Against the team coached by the French Blaine, as indeed against all the Asian squads, we know we need to arm ourselves with patience because they always defend and replay a lot. Italy, on the other hand, seems to be in a hurry, caught, letting themselves indulge their mistakes and unable to put quality into their game. The coach tries to remind his team to look forward rather than hold back, but the one who enters the field with an impure formation, certainly different (in the head more than the men) compared to the formation that surprised everyone in the European and World Championships. And so, like last year in Bologna, the Azzurri stopped at the foot of the podium. From there, one summer ago, he was born The team that later won the World Cup in Poland. The European Championship starts on home soil in a month. Let it at least be auspicious.

the match

De Giorgi confirmed yesterday six plus one with Gianelli’s dribbling, against Roman, Micheletto and Lavia, Glaci and Rosso in the middle, and Palaso Libero. Japan attacks match And take advantage of blue insecurity. Milan’s Ishikawa passes regularly and Miura opposite breaks through the blue wall again and again. However, Italy regained its cohesion from a distance: they arranged their reception and defense and began to find good directions in attack. Now it’s too late to put a hacked setback on its feet, but the first hint of a reaction in view of the following combos. And at the beginning of the second set, Lafia (one of the most difficult players at the start of the match) and his teammates play at a different pace. Italy leads the match, maintains a 2-3-point lead, and plays good volley, but leading 23-21, when it comes to sinking the decisive blow, they still falter. Two unjustified mistakes, all because of the persistence of the Japanese, and always in the group, the Japanese score the decisive blow at the end of the picture and lead 2-0.

Back halfway

De Giorgi doesn’t make any changes and his boys react. Italy is upping their game, improving serves and blocks, while on the other side of the net, Japan is relieving tension. The Blues immediately prevailed on a separate feature and managed it without much difficulty to the finish. And they continue to run at the same pace even in the fourth set, thanks to the Japanese formation that seems to have run out of petrol. The serve returns to a good level, the defense too, and Italy take the match as a tie-breaker which, given what it was like after the first two sets, seemed at least unlikely. However, in the fifth set, the national team returned to the field from the first two: it was not able to put the Japanese in difficultyleaving himself confused and closing the Nations League in fourth place.