Lausanne, Switzerland, July 4, 2017 - Russia enter play in the 2017 FIVB World League Final Six Wednseday in Curitiba as they take on Canada in a rematch of their loss 3-2 to the North Americans in the 2013 Final Six in Mar del Plata (though Russia did go on to win the title). That was the only time the two sides have come head-to-head in the history of the World League. In other competitions Russia lead their series 6-0, inclding last time they met at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games quarterfinals. Any win by Russia this time around, means that Canada are knocked out
and Russia qualify to the 2017 World League
semifinals together with Brazil - who beat Canada 3-1 on the opening
day.
Head-to-Head• Russia and Canada will meet for the second time in the World League. On 18 July 2013 Canada beat Russia in a five setter.
• That is Canada's only win against Russia in a major volleyball tournament.
• Russia beat Canada three times at the world championships, twice at the world cup and once at the Olympic Games. Five of those wins came in straight sets, with the exception being the 3-2 win in their first meeting at the 1994 World Championships.
• Their Olympic Games meeting came last year in the quarterfinals in Rio de Janeiro.
Russia• Russia will finish in the top six for the first time since their fifth place in the 2014 World League.
• It will be their 22nd top six finish in total. Russia last won the competition in 2013.
• Russia won five of their nine World League matches this season, including their last four.
• Russia can win five successive matches in the World League for the first time since a run of seven in 2012-2013.
• Russia could record six wins in a single World League campaign for the first time since 2014 (8 wins).
Canada• Canada have lost their first match in the Final Six, a 3-1 defeat to Brazil.
• The last time Canada played in the Final Six, in 2013, they failed to beat Brazil, but managed to defeat Russia in five sets.
• Canada have only failed to win a set once in their last 36 World League matches, in the 3-0 defeat against France this year.
• Canada won four of their last five five-setters in the competition. This follows on a run of seven successive defeats in five-setters in the World League.
• Three players reached double figures in scoring against Brazil: Graham Vigrass (15), John Gordon Perrin (14) and Sharone Vernon-Evans (13).