In the Paris Olympic qualifying pool B, the Japanese volleyball team played against Brazil on Thursday, August 1st (local time) and lost 0-3 (20-25, 17-25, 18-25).
Starting members
Positions: OH = Outside Hitter, MB = Middle Blocker, OP = Opposite, S = Setter, L = Libero
The points in brackets are the scores
Japan
OH: Koga (10), Ishikawa (1)
MB: Yamada (5), Miyabe (1)
OP: Wada (5)
S: Iwasaki
L: Kojima, Fukudome
Substitutes: OP Hayashi (5), MB Araki (1), OH Inoue (9), S Seki
Brazil
OH: Gabi (17), Ana Cristina (15)
MB: Taiza (6), Carol (8)
OP: Rosamaria (9)
S: Roberta (2)
L: Nieme
Substitutes: OP Tairana (2), S Makris
Match Report
Set 1
In the early stages, Japan scored points with OP Wada's spikes and MB Yamada's service aces, leading 10-8. From there, Brazil turned the game around with MB Carol's blocks to 10-11, but OH Koga's spikes and blocks put Japan in front again with 14-13. However, Japan continued to make attack mistakes, and OH Gabi's spikes and S Roberta's service aces allowed Brazil to extend their lead again to 16-19. Even in the final stages, Brazil continued to score points with OH Gabi's spikes, and in the end OH Koga was caught in a block, giving Brazil the set 20-25.
Set 2
Japan started with OH Inoue and OP Hayashi instead of OH Ishikawa and OP Wada. However, Brazil's OH Ana Cristina scored consecutive spikes from OP Rosamaria's serve, making four consecutive breaks and taking a big lead of 4-8. After that, Brazil continued to score consecutive points with OP Rosamaria's spikes and OH Gabi's blocks, widening the lead to 9-15. Japan was unable to score with their own attacks and managed to score due to Brazil's mistakes, but Brazil continued to score with OH Gabi's spikes and S Roberta's service aces in the final stages, taking the set 17-25.
Third set
Japan started with MB Araki instead of MB Miyabe. In the early stages, OH Koga's spikes were successful, putting Japan one step ahead at 3-2. From there, OH Inoue's spikes were successful and the game was close at 8-8, but then OH Ana Cristina's spikes and MB Carol's blocks gave Brazil a 9-13 lead. After that, Brazil continued to break with service aces and blocks, widening the gap to 14-21. OH Koga's service ace came in the final stages, but in the end, OH Ana Cristina's spikes made it 18-25, and Brazil took this set without any trouble.
As a result, Japan lost to Brazil 0-3.
TOSHIKI'S MVP
Brazil: MB Carol
8 points (4 blocks, 1 serve), attack efficiency rate 40.001 TP 3T
Although she didn't have many attacks, she had 4 block points and 14 block touches, preventing Japan's attacks from scoring. Her blocks significantly reduced the effectiveness of Japan's attacks, which contributed greatly to Brazil's victory.
It was also a game in which Brazil's defense shone, including opposing midfielders Taiza and L. Nieme.
Japan: L Kojima Manami
Serve receive efficiency rate 60.00%, 9 successful digs
The libero supported the team with her stable play and vocal support even when the team was at a disadvantage. Her jump sets during rallies were also good.
Commentary
Except for the middle of the first set, Japan was hardly allowed to do what they wanted, and it was a match that could be described as a complete defeat.
In the first set, OP Wada's spikes were well-timed. However, in the second set, OP Wada was replaced by OP Hayashi to replace OH Inoue with OH Ishikawa, who was not in good form. As a result, the situation did not improve and only OP Wada returned to the court, but it was already too late.
In the early stages of the third set, Japan's OH Koga and OH Inoue were doing well with their side attacks, but after that they were touched or shut down by Brazil's blocks and were unable to get side outs, and the score gap gradually widened, leading to the game being set.
Japan was fighting really well until the middle of the first set.
It is true that OH Ishikawa and OH Koga's attack numbers did not improve much, but they were able to get side outs well, especially with OP Wada, and their serves were aimed at OH Ana Cristina and had a certain degree of effect.
However, for some reason, a so-called "two substitutions" was made, replacing OP Wada and S Iwasaki with OP Hayashi and S Seki, and the intention behind this was unclear.
Normally, two substitutions are made to ensure more attacking players or to make the block taller, but in that situation OP Wada could attack from the back, so he could join the attack even as a rear guard, and S Iwasaki is taller than OP Hayashi, so he actually weakened the block.
As a result, during the three rotations in which they made two substitutions, Brazil broke them a total of three times, allowing them to overtake Japan and lose the set.
Furthermore, the second set was also played with the same starting lineup as the first set, which was going well, but for some reason OP Wada and OH Ishikawa were replaced by OP Hayashi and OH Inoue, which resulted in the situation getting even worse. For some reason, the serve also started to go to OH Gabi, who is good at defense, which made it easier for Brazil.
The serve is the lifeline of this team, and if their serve doesn't work they won't be able to beat strong opponents, yet they weren't able to put any pressure on Brazil with their serves.
In conclusion, the three main reasons for the loss in this match were: 1) inability to make attacks (unable to respond to the opponent's block defense), 2) ineffective serves, and 3) poor bench work.
Especially with regard to ③, I really didn't know what Japan wanted to do from the middle of the game. Even during the timeout, it didn't seem like there were any specific instructions from the bench.
I think Brazil certainly played good volleyball, but rather than it being that Brazil was particularly good, I can't help but feel that Japan just didn't do what it was supposed to do.
Regardless of the outcome, it is unfortunate that the match ended up like this. Where did the Japanese national team go after winning a fierce full-set match against Brazil in the Nations League semi-finals?
With this loss, Japan's chances of advancing to the quarterfinals have become extremely slim, and they will only have a chance to qualify if the Netherlands vs. Dominica in Pool C goes to full set. Of course, this is subject to a 3-0 win against Kenya afterwards.
However, it is not so easy for the Netherlands vs. Dominica match to go to a full set, so I personally think that their elimination from the qualifying rounds is all but certain.
However, whether this is the case or not, I hope that Japan will show their true style of volleyball in the final match against Kenya.
Pool B standings (as of August 1st)
1st Brazil★ 2 wins, 0 losses, 6 points 6/0
2nd Poland★ 2 wins, 0 losses, 6 points 6/1
3rd place Japan 0 wins, 2 losses, 0 points 1/6
4th place Kenya 0 wins, 2 losses, 0 points 0/6
★Quarterfinal advancement confirmed
Next race information
Qualifying Pool B vs Kenya
Saturday, August 3rd, 20:00～ (Japan time)
tv set
Fuji TV Network: 19:52~
Online distribution
TVer
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[Distribution date and time]
July 27th (Saturday) 5pm Boys #1 Boys #2
August 3rd (Saturday) 5pm Women's #1
Saturday, August 10th 5pm Women's #2
Saturday, August 24th 5pm Men's #3
Saturday, August 31st 5pm Women's #3
September 7th (Saturday) 5pm Men's #4
Saturday, September 14th 5pm Women's #4
(Quoted from TBS TV release)
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Photo: Volleyball World
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