Olympic Games 2004- Press Info

Athens, Greece, August 17, 2004 – World champions Brazil had to call on all their skill and power to finally overcome world number two Italy in a sensational marathon five set match 3-2 (25-21, 15-25, 25-16, 21-25, 33-31) in the final game of Day Two in the men’s Volleyball competition at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday.

The clash, which lasted 129 minutes, had the crowd of 6,500 standing to applaud every play as the two best ranked teams in the world traded blow after blow in a spine tingling display of men’s Volleyball at its best. Many of the Volleyball fans who dined on this feast of quality play walked away thinking, can this champion Brazilian team ever be beaten?

Italy gave it their best shot but the World League and World Cup title holders, whose last loss in an FIVB international event was in the 2003 World League, walked away with their second win of the Olympic tournament to become the sole leaders at the top of Pool B with two wins from two.

Four teams – Russia, the Netherlands, USA and Italy – sit in second place with one win. Earlier, USA handed the Netherlands a Volleyball lesson with a straight sets (26-24, 25-20, 25-18) win while winless Australia provided only pockets of resistance against 2000 Olympic silver medalists Russia in a 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-23) defeat.

Meanwhile in Pool A, Greece’s Olympic dream continues with a four set win over Poland. After dropping the first set 21-25 the home team stormed back, to the great pleasure of the packed crowd, to claim the next three sets 25-18, 25-21 and 25-20.

They are unbeaten at the top of the pool along with Argentina, who had to fend off a breathtaking performance from Tunisia in the first match of the day. After claiming the first set, Argentina let Tunisia sneak the second and fourth sets in an exhilarating encounter which finally finished 25-20, 23-25, 25-16, 22-25, 15-10.

In the other Pool A result world championship bronze medalists France suffered their second successive defeat after losing to Sydney Olympic champions Serbia and Montenegro in straight sets (25-21, 30-28, 25-22).

The third day of the women’s competition resumes on Wednesday starting with a Norceca clash between the Dominican Republic and USA at 09:00. The other women’s matches see Korea play Kenya, Cuba take on China, Greece host Japan, Germany take on Russia and the last match of the day sees World Grand Prix champions Brazil play Italy in a repeat of the 2004 World Grand Prix final.

Greece beat Poland to lead Pool A
ATHENS, 17 August - Greece overcame a slow start to turn things around and sail to a four-set win over Poland, 3-1 (21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday. More

United States hand the Netherlands first defeat

ATHENS, 17 August - The United States sailed to their first win in the tournament beating the Netherlands in straight-sets, 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-18) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday. More

Russia shuts out Australia

ATHENS, 17 August - Russia rebounded from their defeat to Poland on Sunday to claim their first win of the men's Olympic Volleyball tournament with a straight-sets over Australia at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, 3-0 (25-17, 26-14, 25-23). More

Serbia & Montenegro skips past France

ATHENS, 17 August - Defending Olympic champions Serbia and Montenegro rebounded from their opening round shock-defeat to Poland by beating France in straight-sets, 3-0 (25-21, 30-28, 25-22) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday. More

Argentina holds on to beat Tunisia in timebreaker

ATHENS, 17 August - Argentina resisted a surprisingly strong challenge from Tunisia to win a fantastic five-set encounter 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-16, 22-25, 15-10) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Tuesday. More