MATCH INFO
Brazil achieve first win at home against the United States
Outside hitter Lucarelli was a key player in Brazilian win
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 2 – Defending champion and host Brazil recovered from a bad start in FIVB Men´s Junior World Championship and gave their fans something to cheer about with the squads´s first win in Rio de Janeiro. The home team defeated the United States 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-23 and 25-19) in its second outing in Pool A.
With the three points earned with the win, Brazil shares the group´s lead with Japan as both South American and Asian sides have four points now. The United States, with three points, and Bulgaria, with one, still keep chances of advancing for the second round.
American outside hitter Taylor Sander led all scorers with 20 points, followed by teammate Maurice Torres and Brazilian wing spiker Ricardo Lucarelli, who scored 19 each.
With the absence of libero Guilherme Kachel, injured during the match against Japan, Brazil selected outside hitter Hugo Silva to play the role. After a good start, the home team scored 15-11 with wing spiker Ricardo Lucarelli hitting from the backcourt and improved it to 20-15 with opposite Luan Weber blocking. In the end, captain Otavio Pinto spiked in the middle to score 25-19.
Brazilian good start did not repeat in the second set as the American were the ones to score 4-0 after a huge block of Dylan Davis. Brazil reduced the distance to a single point just after the first technical timeout, but a serving ace by opposite Maurice Torres made the USA comfortable again in 15-9. The last point was scored by Davis: 25-21.
Brazil recovered the starting rhythm in the third set and had 8-5 in the first TTO after a spike of middle blocker Bernardo Reitz. The USA reacted and scored 11-9 with Torres. Brazil recovered the lead with Lucarelli in 16-15 and, after several turnarounds, the host won 25-23 with opposite Rafael Martins spiking against American block.
Brazil achieved a good lead in fourth set (11-7), but the Americans recovered with middle blocker Eric Mochalski serving: 11-11. Defending champion reassumed the lead in the second TTO with Lucarelli spiking and remained ahead until Luan spiked and closed the match 25-19.
In the last and deciding day of matches in Pool A, on Wednesday, the United States are going to clash Japan, at 4:00 p.m., while the host Brazil will face Bulgaria two and a half hours later.
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