Lausanne, Switzerland, June 30, 2017 - The 2015 FIVB World League champions France and the 2014 champions USA clash for the second time this season, when they meet Tuesday in Curitiba on the opening day of the 2017 Final Six in Curitiba. France outclassed USA 3-1 earlier in June at home in Pau. The clash pits the top scorer of the competition Stephen Boyer against the third best scorer Taylor Sander.
Head-to-Head• France are hoping to equal the score with United States in the World League. The US men have won nine of their 17 previous meetings, while the French are on eight wins.
• One of France's World League wins against United States came earlier this season. On 11 June, they won 3-1.
• United States won both their encounters with France in the Final Round. In 2007 they won in straight sets and in 2015 they beat the French 3-1.
• These teams also met at last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. United States won 3-1.
France• France will finish in the top six for the third consecutive year, after winning the World League in 2015 and claiming a third place in 2016.
• It will be their eighth top six finish in total in the competition.
• France lost only one of their nine matches this campaign so far, the 3-2 defeat to Italy.
• France have claimed at least one set in each of their last 61 World League matches, since the 3-0 defeat to United States on 14 June 2013.
• Stephen Boyer scored a Group 1 high 165 points in the preliminary rounds. He also managed 17 aces, most of all players in Group 1.
United States• United States will claim a top six finish in the World League for the 11th time. It will be their fourth consecutive finish in the top six after a first place in 2014, a third place in 2015 and a fifth place in 2016.
• The US team won four of their nine matches this World League campaign, three of which in straight sets.
• In nine of their last 10 World League participations they managed at least eight wins in the competition. Only in 2013 they failed to reach this number as they recorded four wins.
• United States lost five of their last six five-setters in the competition, with the exception being the 3-2 win against Belgium in 2016.