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Cuba, Brazil and Poland all confirmed
to join Serbia and Montenegro in World
League final round
 Lausanne,
Switzerland, July 3, 2005 – After six
weeks, 72 matches and over 130 hours of
pulsating Volleyball action the four
finalists for the 2005 World League have
been confirmed at the conclusion of the
Intercontinental Round on Sunday with
defending champions Brazil, Cuba and
Poland joining hosts Serbia and
Montenegro in the final round in
Belgrade.
The commitment and passion shown by all
12 teams during the six weeks of global
action had fans around the world on the
edge of their seats, with two of the
three pools not confirming their winner
until the last weekend.
World number one Brazil confirmed their
final round spot in Pool A during week
five but it was Cuba in Pool B and
Poland in Pool C who left it until the
last minute to seal their places.
More
Pic: Great defence from Cuba's Speek
Odelvis Dominico (left) and Portuondo
Osmany Juantorena against France's
Vincent Montmeat
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Cuba into finals after doing double
over France
 Havana,
Cuba, July 2, 2005 – The fourth and
final 2005 World League finalist was
confirmed on Saturday night in Havana
after Cuba completed a 3-1 (20-25,
25-22, 25-19, 25-21) victory over France
to secure Pool B and their place in the
four-team final round, joining hosts
Serbia and Montenegro, Pool A winners
Brazil and Pool C winner’s Poland.
Cuba’s sensational World League campaign
was capped with their second victory
over France after they beat the Tri
colours 3-1 (30-32, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21)
on Friday to finish on top of Pool B
with eight wins and four losses, ahead
of Italy, preventing the eight-time
World League champions from reaching the
finals for the first time in the history
of the event.
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Pic: Cuba celebrate their first World
League finals appearance since 2001
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Serbia and Montenegro warm up well
for finals
 Lausanne,
Switzerland, July 2, 2005 – The latest
action in the 2005 World League on
Saturday saw World League finals hosts
Serbia and Montenegro warm up for their
blue ribbon event with the second of two
comprehensive victories over Greece
while it will also be remembered for
Japan’s first win in the competition
since 2003.
Serbia and Montenegro looked in ominous
form as they beat Greece 25-15, 25-22,
27-25 in their final match before
heading into next week’s World League
finals, which run from July 8-10 in
Belgrade. The world number three beat
Greece 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-17) on
Friday.
Pool C now has Poland (final round
qualifiers) on top with an 8-3 record,
followed by Serbia and Montenegro (7-4),
Greece (5-7) and Argentina (3-8).
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Pic: Greece's Zlatko Baev Tontor
tries to beat the excellent defence of
Aleksandar Mitrovic (5), Dragan
Stankovic (7) and Ivan Miljkovic (14)
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Cuba eye up final round as Italy lose
 Lausanne,
Switzerland, July 1, 2005 – Cuba
continued their excellent form in the
2005 World League when they beat France
3-0 (33-31, 33-31, 25-12) on Friday,
putting them on the verge of claiming
the last of four final round tickets.
With Brazil and Poland having been
confirmed as winners of Pools A and C
respectively and the correresponding
final round tickets, Cuba are in the
drivers set in Pool B to do the same.
Hosts Serbia and Montenegro are
automatic qualifiers for the finals in
Belgrade.
Cuba's victory and Italy's surprise 3-1
(30-32, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21) defeat at
the hands of Bulgaria means only Cuba
and Italy are left with a chance to win
the group. Cuba lead with seven
victories, followed by Italy with six so
Italy's next match against Bulgaria in
Varna on Sunday at 20:30 (local time) is
a must win affair for the eight-time
World League champions.
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Pic: Bulgaria pulled off a surprise 3-1
win over Italy
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Poland confirmed in Final Round without
touching a ball
 Lausanne,
Switzerland, July 1, 2005 – Pool C
leaders Poland have confirmed a berth in
the Final Round of the 2005 World League,
joining defending champions Brazil and
hosts Serbia and Montenegro, without
even playing a match. Poland's nearest
challengers for the ticket - Greece -
lost on Friday 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-17)
to Serbia and Montenegro, eliminating
any chance they had of winning the
group.
Following Friday's match, Poland stand
on top of the group with a 7-3 record
with two games to play, Serbia and
Montenegro are second (6-5) but
automatically qualify for the final
round as hosts while Greece now have a
5-6 record.
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Pic: An understrength Greek side saw
their final round hopes disappear
following their defeat to Serbia and
Montenegro
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Proud Portugal aim for second-place
finish
 Tokyo,
Japan, July 1, 2005 - They have been on
the road since June 15, but Portugal
will give it one last push in the 2005
World League Pool A this weekend.
With a 6-4 win-loss record in 10 outings,
Portugal can wrap up a creditable second
place behind Brazil with a couple of
wins against Japan (0-10) at Yoyogi
National Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.
"The players are a little tired
physically, but they are ready to play,"
Portugal's team doctor, Armando Brandao,
said after the team's practice session
on Friday afternoon.
"They have played in Brazil and then
Venezuela on consecutive weekends, but
in spite of the tiredness they want to
finish well. The target is to finish in
second place, and they are concentrated
on the game and ready to win."
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Pic: One last push - Portugal's Nuno
Pinheiro (3) and captain Joao Jose (12)
contest possession with Japan's Rio
Matsunaga during the opening round of
the World League
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All set for crucial Pool C encounter
 Rosario,
Argentina, July 1, 2005 – Both teams
have confirmed their lineups and
Argentina and Poland are raring to go in
their crunch Pool C encounter in
Rosario, which opens with the first
match on Friday.
Poland needs just one victory to win
Pool C and claim a ticket to the Final
Round in Belgrade while Argentina, who
are out of contention for the finals,
will be hoping to finish their World
League campaign in style in front of
their own fans.
Argentina have made one change with
Maximum Torcello replacing Jerónimo
Bidegain, who did not travel with the
squad for the past two weekends.
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Pic: Poland's middle blocker Lukasz
Kadziewicz spikes as Gabriel Arroyo
tries to block
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Tough assignment for Greece
 June
29, 2005 – With Serbia and Montenegro
already assured of a finals spot due to
their position as hosts, Greece, who
need two victories to stay in contention
for the Final Round, will need to be
right on top of their game to do the
double against their more fancied rivals
in Novi Sad and Belgrade.
Serbia and Montenegro still have
everything to play for, in terms or
being ready for the Final Round in
Belgrade, and they won’t be lying down
easily, particularly in front of their
home fans.
The world number three has been in good
form in recent weeks, which is no doubt
the script that coach Ljubomir Travica
has written, with four wins from six
matches, including three from four at
home.
More
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Cuba aiming for first top four finish
since 1999
 June
29, 2005 – There is unlikely to be an
empty seat in Havana – both in the "Ciudad
Deportiva" Coliseum and in every
television household – when Cuba hosts
France this weekend.
For the first time since the glory days
of the 90’s, are Cuba on the verge of
reaching the World League top four.
Until recently Cuba was one of the
sport's undisputed powerhouses with an
impressive history of success in the
World League but following a number of
national team defections in 2001, the
Central Americans have been rebuilding.
Since 2000, Cuba has finished 8th, 5th,
13th, 13th and 7th last year after
finishing no worst than fourth between
1991 and 1999. Now, Cuba must put their
heads down and collect two victories
over World Championship bronze
medallists France.
More
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Can Japan break their duck?
June
29, 2005 – For the second time in two
years World number 17 Japan are stearing
down the barrel of another winless World
League campaign.
After finishing in 10th spot last year (along
with Portugal and China) Japan are
facing two matches this weekend against
Portugal, where they need to break a
22-game run of defeats. It would be a
wonderful way to finish for Ueta Tatsuya
and his team, especially in front of
their own fans but it obviously won’t be
an easy task with a new and improved
Portuguese side, having blossomed under
the leadership of coach Orlando Samuels,
looking for two victories themselves to
seal second spot in the group.
Currently ranked 18th in the world,
Portugal have broken a bad run of their
own by having guaranteed their best ever
finish in the World League in six
attempts. Prior to 2005, Portugal had
finished last in all five campaigns so
whatever the result this weekend, there
is plenty to celebrate for Joao Jose and
his men.
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Poland, Greece, Italy, Cuba, Bulgaria
and France chase last two finals tickets
 Lausanne,
Switzerland, June 29, 2005 – When the
2005 World League started on May 28, who
would have thought six teams would still
be in contention for the Final Round
going into the last weekend of the
Intercontinental Round?
In Pool B, all four teams - Italy, Cuba,
Bulgaria and France – have the chance of
joining hosts Serbia and Montenegro and
defending champions Brazil, who
qualified for the Final Round last
weekend, while Pool C is down to a two
horse race between Poland and Greece.
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History on the line for Poland
 June
28, 2005 – World number seven and
current Pool C leaders Poland head to
Argentina (ranked eighth in the world)
for two matches, which they will no
doubt prefer to be playing elsewhere.
After 10 matches of the highest quality
where they have record seven victories
and three defeats, Poland must now
record just one victory against the
South Americans but that is easier said
than done in front of many gazing
Argentinean eyes.
So far, Argentina have split both their
contests with Serbia and Montenegro and
Greece while playing at home but as the
Intercontinental Round has continued,
the South Americans have developed into
an impressive unit, one which will not
let their fans down without giving a
fight.
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Venezuela set for best ever finish
 June
28, 2005 – World number 13 Venezuela
will have one thing on their mind when
they take on world number one Brazil
this weekend - second spot in Pool A. To
finish behind the World League defending
champions - who have already qualified
for the Final Round, which runs from
July 8-10 in Belgrade, by building an
unbeatable lead in the group - would
represent a significant improvement in
Venezuela’s World League fortunes,
beating their best ever finish
substantially in four years of trying.
Three attempts from 2001 to 2003 only
recorded three 13th place finishes and
after a year’s sabbatical, Venezuela are
on the verge of making a brilliant
return to the big time, with a seventh
place finish guaranteed.
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Brilliant battle to open Round Six
 June
28, 2005 – Two teams needing two
victories to claim a ticket to the Final
Round. No one could have written a
better script, not only for this match
but for this group, with Cuba and France
in the same predicament.
When looking at this contest one has to
fancy Bulgaria’s chances, considering
they’re playing at home, which is
traditionally a cauldron of intensity
often feared by visiting teams. But when
seeing eight-time World League champions
and last year’s silver medallists Italy
will line up on the other side of the
net, one has to say, the only thing
guaranteed is a contest of the highest
order.
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