Amir Ghafour celebrates his great performance against the world champs
Lausanne, Switzerland, June 4, 2017 - Amir Ghafour was the leading scorer for Iran with a 19-point contribution towards upsetting the reigning world champions from Poland and achieving their first victory in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World League – 3-1 in Pesaro, Italy. On Sunday, France, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Germany and Spain rounded off the first competition weekend undefeated, each with three wins in three games.
Group 1
France remained the only unbeaten team in Group 1 after the third competition day. The French shut out Argentina to single themselves out as the sole leader in the current standings with perfect nine points and only one set dropped along the way. In the other match in Kazan on Sunday, Bulgaria achieved an incredible come-back from two sets down against hosts Russia to claim their first win of the season.
Belgium mastered a 3-1 victory over USA in Novi Sad to position themselves second in the Group 1 standings, leaving the Americans as the only winless team in the group. In the other pool match hosts Serbia stepped back onto the winning track with a 3-1 win against Canada.
Brazil are occupying the third place after the end of the weekend as they finished off their tournament in Pesaro with a four-set victory over hosts Italy. Both Belgium and Brazil boast a seven-point record each. Also in Pesaro, Iran caused a major sensation handing the reigning world champions from Poland their first defeat – 3-1.
Group 1 competition is to resume on June 9 with tournaments taking place in Varna (Bulgaria), Tehran (Iran) and Pau (France).
Group 2
Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey, in that order, occupy the top three spots in the Group 2 standings after the first competition weekend is finished, each with three wins in three matches. The first two have nine points each, followed by the Turks with seven.
On Sunday, Slovakia achieved an impeccable shutout of Portugal to please the home fans in Poprad. Before that match, Japan scored their first victory in the 2017 World League – 3-1 over Australia.
In Seoul, Slovenia secured a four-set win against the Czech Republic. Hosts Korea persevered in an epic five-set battle to emerge victorious against Finland.
Turkey also needed five sets at home, in Ankara, to gain the victory against the Netherlands. In the same pool China had no issues shutting out Egypt, finishing the weekend with as many points as the Turks – seven, but with two wins and one defeat.
Group 2 competition is to resume on June 8. Next weekend’s fixtures will be held in Helsinki (Finland), Takasaki (Japan) and Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic).
Group 3
With three victories and nine points each, Germany and Spain have all the reasons to celebrate at the end of the first competition weekend in Group 3.
At home in Frankfurt, Germany took a 3-1 win against Venezuela, after their neighbours from Austria had won against Kazakhstan, also in four sets.
Spain were also playing in front of their home fans in Barcelona this weekend and made a nice finish with a 3-1 victory over Greece. In the earlier match, Mexico shut out Qatar.
Tunisia took the third place with seven points in the current Group 3 standings after claiming their second victory in Bijelo Polje – 3-1 over Chinese Taipei. Montenegro could not make use of the home-court advantage in the same pool to lose to Estonia in straight sets in the very last match of this first competition weekend.
Group 3 competition is to resume on June 9 with tournaments taking place in Tallinn (Estonia), Tunis (Tunisia) and Linz (Austria).
Top Scorer by Day
32 - Chuan Jiang of China v Turkey on June 2
29 - Tsvetan Sokolov of Bulgaria v Argentina on June 3
28 - Metin Toy of Turkey v Netherlands on June 4
Top Scoring Performances
32 - Chuan Jiang of China v Turkey on June 2
29 - Tsvetan Sokolov of Bulgaria v Argentina on June 3
29 - Nathan Roberts of Australia v Portugal on June 2
28 - Metin Toy of Turkey v Netherlands on June 4
27 - Evandro Guerra of Brazil v Iran on June 3
Top Individual Serving Performances
6 - Pedro Rangel of Mexico v Greece on June 3
6 - Maxim Zhigalov of Russia v Argentina on June 2
5 - Rafail Koumentakis of Greece v Spain on June 4
4 - Nicolai Grabmueller of Austria v Kazakhstan on June 4
4 - John Gordon Perrin of Canada v USA on June 3
4 - Bartlomiej Lemanski of Poland v Italy on June 3
4 - Marko Ivovic of Serbia v USA on June 2
Top Team Serving Performances
12 - Turkey v Netherlands on June 4
11 - Serbia v USA on June 2
10 - Venezuela v Kazakhstan on June 3
9 - Canada v Serbia on June 4
9 - Serbia v Canada on June 4
9 - Belgium v USA on June 4
9 - USA v Canada on June 3
Top Individual Blocking Performances
7 - Samuel Walker of Australia v Slovakia on June 3
7 - Bozidar Cuk of Montenegro v Tunisia on June 2
6 - Denis Biriukov of Russia v Bulgaria on June 4
6 - Emerson Gonzalez of Venezuela v Kazakhstan on June 3
6 - Filip Cveticanin of Portugal v Japan on June 3
6 - Ales Holubec of Czech Republic v Finland on June 3
6 - Alen Pajenk of Slovenia v Korea on June 3
Top Team Blocking Performances
21 - Slovenia v Korea on June 3
21 - Montenegro v Tunisia on June 2
18 - Russia v Bulgaria on June 4
18 - Australia v Slovakia on June 3
18 - Czech Republic v Finland on June 3
17 - Russia v France on June 3
Highest Scoring Sets
30-28 - Slovakia v Australia on June 3
29-27 - China v Netherlands on June 3
28-26 - Belgium v USA on June 4
27-25 - Bulgaria v Russia on June 4
27-25 - Mexico v Qatar on June 4
27-25 - France v Argentina on June 4
27-25 - Netherlands v Egypt on June 2
27-25 - Tunisia v Montenegro on June 2
27-25 - Netherlands v Egypt on June 2
27-25 - Slovakia v Japan on June 2
Highest Scoring Matches
222 - Korea v Czech Republic 3-2 (25-17, 23-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-12) on June 2
220 - Turkey v Netherlands 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 24-26, 17-15) on June 4
219 - Korea v Finland 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13) on June 4
219 - Australia v Portugal 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 20-18) on June 2
217 - Belgium v Canada 2-3 (22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-23, 13-15) on June 2
215 - Turkey v China 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 24-26, 15-12) on June 2
214 - Bulgaria v Argentina 2-3 (23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 21-25, 12-15) on June 3