Argentina-Serbia, for the round of 16 of the Volleyball World Cup: Méndez’s men aim for a sign that did not exceed 20 years ago

The men’s volleyball team will begin its journey in the second phase of the championship this Tuesday world from Slovenia and Poland, with the immediate goal of qualifying for the quarter-finals and entering the top eight for the first time in 20 years in a tournament of this category. The team led by Marcelo Mendezwho passed the initial phase by finishing third in group F, will face him Serbian, arrived first and undefeated in zone A, a “winning” rival on paper and against whom the biancoazzurra team has a positive record in recent history. The appointment is at 12:30 in our country in Gliwice, Poland, and will be seen on ESPN3 and Star +.

Argentines and Serbs have crossed paths Italy-Bulgaria World Cup 2018 in the second group stage – in that edition the format was different – with the victory of the Europeans in two sets. After that fight, they met again four times. Three times, in the meetings of the League of Nations. In the starting rounds of 2019 and 2021, Argentina won 3-0 and in this year’s round, on June 10, Serbia won 3-0.

The last precedent dates back to a few weeks ago, on the first date of the friendly home run in which the Albiceleste team closed its preparation for this World Cup. In the match the national team was clearly superior and won 3-1, with a good level of play.

“I don’t think that the last victory will affect the game we are going to play. They certainly respect us because, if we play at a good level, we can play as an equal, but we are also aware that if we play as an equal we have done, it will be unfavorable”, he said. said Luciano De Cecco in an interview with the newspaper Ole.

“We have to come out with everything we have, taking advantage of the opportunities. We have to let the game flow. We will play against a great team with great individuals. But we have the staff, and if we play more or less well we can compete with anyone,” he said. added the owner santafesino.

Argentina10th in the world rankings and bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics last year he did not have a good group stage. In Ljubljana, Slovenia, they lost their first two games 3-2, against Iran (9th in the standings) and first Holland (13th), without playing well. He arrived with no margin for error in the duel with Egypt (20th), in which they suffered more than expected and had to overcome a disadvantage of two sets to one to prevail in five and secure third position in the area, behind the Dutch and Iranians.

“It was a difficult duel. We played for qualifying and we had to handle the pressure, which was a problem at times. But we managed to get our best level in the important moments”, he analyzed. Augustine Loser. “This team has a great fighting spirit, they never give up. We will take them to the second round.”

Beyond the results, the team was unable to show its best level. Although he recovered a bit in the match against Egypt, in which he was able to hurt more from the serve and saw more solid performances than De Cecco, Facundo Conte, Bruno Lima and Loser, for example. However, there was room for improvement.

“How can we win, we can win. The reality is that we are not playing well or taking advantage of opportunities. We do not let ourselves go, we are nervous, very tense and we do not understand why. The problem is trying to believe that we can play better, and we have to try to keep it as long as possible “, reflected De Cecco.

The blue-and-white team was the best third of the four who passed to the round of 16, together with the first and second of each group. The knockout table dictated that he would have to face the fourth best selected in the first phase, which, finally, he was Serbian (Poland Y Sloveniabeing host they were 1st and 2nd e Italy placed 3rd).

The Serbs, 11th in the standings, have won all three games in their area, although they have been lucky enough to play against lower-ranking rivals, Ukraine (15 °), Puerto Rico (29 °) and Tunisia (19th).

If they win this Tuesday, Argentina will be in the top eight in an ecumenical competition for the first time since 2002, when, in the tournament that was played in our country, they lost in the quarter-finals with Greece and finished sixth. He was then 13th in Japan 2006; ninth in Italy 2010; 11 a Poland 2014 and 15 ° in Italy-Bulgaria 2018. It is worth remembering that all these editions were played with a different format from the current one, in which three qualifying rounds had to be overcome to reach the playoffs, which began in the semifinals.

After the historic Tokyo campaign last year, in which the second Olympic medal in the history of Argentine volleyball was won (after the bronze in Seoul 1988) The Argentine national team dreams of repeating the feat in this World Cup and winning the second World Cup medal. The first was also a bronze in Argentina 1982.

Brazil and Iran, the possible rivals of the quarter-finals for Argentina

If they beat Serbia in the round of 16, the Argentine team would meet the winner of the match which they will play again this Tuesday at 16:00 in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Brazilfourth in the world and one of the great candidates of the tournament, e Iran.

Against their classic South American rival, favorite for that challenge, Argentina have a very close positive precedent, because last year they won the match for third place on the podium at the Tokyo Games.

Ukraine this Monday gave the big surprise of the tournament – at least until now – eliminating in the round of 16 Holland with a convincing 3-0 victory (25-16, 25-19 and 25-18) in Ljubljana.

The Ukrainians entered the tournament at the last moment instead of Russia (suspended due to the invasion of that country) to be the best in the standings among the teams not yet classified. And on their second participation in the World Cup, they were tenths Japan 1998– has already secured a spot in the top eight.

In quarters, they will face each other Sloveniawho won 3 to 1 (25-18, 25-19, 21-25 and 25-22) a Germany and he also came to that instance for the first time.

What came close to being a surprise was United States of America. The sixth-ranked North American team struggled to win 3-2 (25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 19-25 and 15-12) against Turkey (14 °). He will go for the move to the semifinals first Polandcurrent two-time champion and number one in the world, who swept 3 to 0 (25-20, 25-15 and 25-20) to Tunisia.

Italy (5th) won 3 to 1 (25-21, 21-25, 26-24 and 25-18) a Cuba and he also moved on to the quarter-finals, where he waits France or Japan.