Italy is a serious candidate to win Pool A

Florence Nelson Mandela Forum, September 13th, 9.15 pm There were great expectations at Florence Mandela Forum for this game between the Blues and the Red Devils. Italy still have to avenge the defeat in Europeans Championship 2016 Quarter Finals. Italy and Belgium were the two most credited team to win Pool A after day first results. And there was a great enthusiasm around the home national team. The numbers speak for themselves: 20 points (15 attacks, 80% positive + 5 blocks)… that’s Ivan Zaytsev; but we have to highlights the superb performance of Giannelli, who leads the teams as a veteran in spite of his 22 years. Great alternance of all his attackers, he always give us the feeling that he leads the team with an extreme self confidence. Italians midblockers where unstoppable, and they are not usually Italy’s lethal weapon. On the other side Bram Van Den Dries (and he didn’t play in the third period) and captain Deroo were the top scorer with 7 points each. Maybe coach Anastasi regret not to let Hendrik Tuerlinckx enter before, because he scored 5 points playing third set only. Italy flames the sports hall since the first play with a wonderful “pipe” by Ivan Zaytsev, the best way to let the opponents realize which kind of match it’s going to be. However in a while, a couple of mistakes in reception (setting!) allows Belgium to lead at the first TTO for 8-6. The italians had to fit the expectations of 8000 supporters packed in the Mandela Forum, and so they went back into the field after TTO extremely detrminated and quickly it’s 10-8 for Italy, four points in a row, alternating first, second and third time attacking games, combinations, pipes. Giannelli shows all his repertoire. Both teams plays a “fast & furious” volleyball, point after point Italy leads 16-14 at the second TTO. Giannelli is great in defense, too. On 21-15 it seems the the Blues digged a gap hard to be filled by the Red Devils. But they don’t die easily, good defenses helped them to shorten to 18-22. Then Ivan the Terrible and Simone Lanza, with two great attacks after non precise receptions against a well compacted opponents block, gave to Italy the first set 25-20. Zaytsev scored 8 points, Giannelli was superb, not just in passing, also in defense and block. The battle starts again, no teams gets more than one point of advantage until the first TTO, Italy 8-6. Giannelli used all his team mates, hitters, middle blockers and opposite… and sometimes he attacks on the second touch as well. Of course Zaytsev is still his favourite. With a single man block and a counterattack brought Italy to 16-10 at the second TTO. They play the same kind of music when they are back on the field: Zaytsev again with a lob and two jump serves. The Blues rushed away up to 23-15, Anastasi tried to stop italian run with some helps from the bench, anyway Juantorena scored the last point with a jump serve, 25-17. It seems that gradually Italy takes control: First set 22 points won and only 3 opponents errors (Belgium 13 won and 7 opponents errors); second set as well 22 points won 3 opponent errors (Belgium 12 and 5) The third period began with some Belgian substitutes (Tuerlinckx, Klinkenberg and Coolman, the line far from the setter) in the starting six, anyway Italy tonight is at the top form and leads 6-3 with some terrific attacks. When Italy reception is not that good, Giannelli like a “deus ex machina” finds in his magician hat excellent solutions to help his spikers to get away from their block markers. The game inertia is on italian side. It seems that Belgium is less concentrated, one pass and one touch fault, two serve mistakes in a row. Little by little Italy digged a gap and easily arrived ahead 16-9 at the second TTO. Two points directly with jumps serves by Grobelny (not even touched by italian receptionists) help the Flamish in getting closer, however Italy answered with the same weapon and Zaytsev scored his umpteenth point. Spectacular defenses comes after amazing attacks, followed by hard blocks, and Italy, thanks to an along-the-line attack of Juantorena shot where it seems that there was no space between blockers’ hands and the pole, built another brick in the wall of the forthcoming victory. Giannelli scored two points with serves and the games went to an end with a fast attack by midblocker Anzani, with an eloquent 25-16 and a total 90 minutes game.

Source: fivb.org