Betim, Brazil, October 22, 2016 - Both Sada Cruzeiro and Zenit Kazan confirmed this Saturday they are currently the two most powerful teams of the world. In a thrilling semifinals day at FIVB Men’s Club World Championship, first the European champions downed Trentino from Italy in straight sets and then the Brazilian giants rose again to defeat Argentina’s Bolívar in four chapters. This way, 2015 gold medal game will be repeated this Sunday.
The first semifinal was a rematch of last European Champions League final, which ended with the same winner but at a whole different fashion. Zenit Kazan improved from that five-setter to a
super-solid 3-0 thanks to a very productive output from the service line, applying pressure the entire game and forcing Trentino to an uncomfortable scenario on attack. The Italian side was close on the second set, but couldn’t stop Kazan from reaching their second gold medal match in a row.
Afterwards, it first looked like an upset was about to happen in Betim, because Bolívar rushed to a 1-0 lead over host team Cruzeiro with a very convincing performance, but that was it for them. Crown owners went back on court fiercer than ever and acquired big leads without delay, despite the resistance from a Bolívar team that never stopped fighting. The next acts were all for Cruzeiro, until the definitive 3-1 score and the ticket to the final.
The final day in Betim will be opened with Trentino and Bolívar clashing for the bronze medal, at 2 PM (local). That game will lay the ground for another outstanding final between Sada Cruzeiro and Zenit Kazan, scheduled at 4.15 PM (local).
FIVB Men’s Club World Championship Betim 2016
Overall Statistics
Highest Scorer by Day
16 - Yoandy Leal Hidalgo of Sada Cruzeiro v Taichung Bank on October 18
24 - Nikolay Uchikov of UPCN v Bolívar on October 19
19 - Jan Stokr of Trentino v Bolívar on October 20
17 - Thiago Vanole of Minas Tenis Clube v Bolívar on October 21
16 - Robertlandy Simón of Sada Cruzeiro v Bolívar on October 22
Top Scoring Performances
24 - Nikolay Uchikov of UPCN v Bolívar on October 19
19 - Jan Stokr of Trentino v Bolívar on October 20
18 - Yoandy Leal Hidalgo of Sada Cruzeiro v Zenit Kazan on October 20
18 - Gustavo Guazzelli Bonatto of UPCN v Bolívar on October 19
17 - Thiago Vanole of Minas Tenis Clube v Bolívar on October 21
Top Individual Blocking Performances
5 - Pablo Crer of Bolívar v Minas Tenis Clube on October 21
5 - Pablo Crer of Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
4 - Sebastián Solé of Trentino v Bolívar on October 20
4 - Martín Ramos of UPCN v Bolívar on October 19
3 - Robertlandy Simón Aties of Sada Cruzeiro v Tala’ea El-Geish on October 19
Top Individual Serving Performances
3 - Maxim Mikhaylov of Zenit Kazan v Taichung Bank on October 21
3 - Evandro Guerra of Sada Cruzeiro v Tala’ea El-Geish on October 19
3 - Jan Stokr of Trentino v Minas Tenis Clube on October 19
3 - William Arjona of Sada Cruzeiro v Taichung Bank on October 18
3 - Thomas Edgar of Bolívar v Sada Cruzeiro on October 22
Top Team Blocking Performances
14 - Bolívar v Minas Tenis Clube on October 21
10 - Zenit Kazan v Tala’ea El-Geish on October 18
10 - Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
10 - Trentino v Bolívar on October 20
10 - Zenit Kazan v Sada Cruzeiro on October 20
Top Team Serving Performances
11 - Sada Cruzeiro v Taichung Bank on October 18
9 - Sada Cruzeiro v Bolívar on October 22
8 - Sada Cruzeiro v Tala’ea El-Geish on October 19
8 - Bolívar v Minas Tenis Clube on October 21
8 - Zenit Kazan v Taichung Bank on October 21
Highest Scoring Sets
33-31 - Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
30-28 - Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
27-25 - Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
26-24 - Sada Cruzeiro v Zenit Kazan on October 20
26-24 - Trentino v UPCN on October 21
Highest Scoring Matches
221 - Bolívar v UPCN on October 19
185 - Sada Cruzeiro v Zenit Kazan on October 20
180 - Taichung Bank v Tala’ea El-Geish on October 20
178 - Bolívar v Minas Tenis Clube on October 21
177 - Trentino v Bolívar on October 20