2006 World Championships   More World Championship news       Tournament info: Greece

Two more Final Round tickets on the line in Greece

Larissa, Greece, July 18, 2005 – The 2006 Men’s World Championship feast of Volleyball arrives in Larissa, Greece on Monday when four teams - Greece, Portugal, Turkey and Serbia and Montenegro – will play in the second of four European third round tournaments for two tickets to the Final Round in November 2006 in Japan.

After the first European third round tournament finished on Sunday, the first two place getters in Larissa will join Russia and Poland in the Final Round while the third placed team will join Bulgaria and two other sides in a four way play off for another ticket.
Pic: Serbia and Montenegro are coming off a second place finish at the 2005 World League
World number three Serbia and Montenegro are favourites in this tournament, having just finished second at the 2005 World League, while hosts Greece (ranked ninth) are expected to fight it out with Portugal (14th) for the second Final Round ticket. While Serbia and Montenegro and Greece have been seeded straight into this tournament, Portugal advanced having won their second round tournament while Turkey (38th) were runner’s up in Round Two.

“The World Championship Final Round is our big objective in 2005 and we are ready for it,” Greek captain Marios Gkiourdas said. “Portugal appears to have come to Greece with one thing in mind, to gain revenge for the two defeats at the European Championship of Football, which was won by Greece.”

"We have been preparing for this for two months,” Portugal coach Orlando Samuels said. “We have had some tough matches in the World League and I hope that we will help us reaching our goal – a ticket to the World Championship final round.”

Portugal had a very impressive World League campaign, finishing second behind Brazil with a 6-6 win-loss record in their pool, while Greece finished third behind Poland and Serbia and Montenegro in their group with a 5-7 record.

The first matches on Monday see Turkey play Serbia and Montenegro at 15:30 GMT (18:30 local time) followed by Greece taking on Portugal at 18:00 GMT (21:00 local time).