Lausanne, Switzerland, June 3, 2017 - Italy host reigning world champions Poland Saturday in Pesaro as both seek to ride on the momentum built by their opening day victories over Iran and Brazil respectively.
Head-to-Head• These teams last met in a major competition at the 2015 World Cup: Italy won 3-1.
• This ended a run of four successive wins by Poland over Italy in major competitions, including two in the 2014 World League and one in the 2015 World League.
• Italy's last WL victory over Poland came on 8 June 2014 (3-1).
• Both teams have won at least one set in their last nine encounters in major competitions since Italy's 3-0 win in the 2011 European Championship semifinals.
Poland• Poland proved to be the strongest in an opening day showdown against Brazil on Friday. They won the fifth set 15-8.
• Poland have won three of their last four World League matches, as many as in their previous 13 encounters combined.
• Each of their last three victories came in five sets. The last straight set victory for Poland came 28 matches ago, against Russia in the opener of the 2015 season.
• Dawid Konarski scored 20 points against Brazil, leading his side.
Italy• Italy won their opener in straight sets against Iran. They have now won their opening match in eight of their last nine seasons.
• Last year they lost their first World League encounter (against France), before countering with four consecutive victories in three sets.
• Italy have won a total of 988 sets in the World League. During this World League, they could become the second nation cracking the 1,000-mark, after Brazil (1,106 before Saturday play).