MATCH INFO

Kumamoto, Japan, November 25, 2011 - After being handed their first loss of the 2011 FIVB Men’s World Cup by top-ranked Brazil on Thursday, Russia rebounded with a win over a spirited Egyptian squad, 3-1 (25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 25-9). Egypt surprised everyone by stealing the third set on strong serving, taking away a small moral victory while Russia won the war.

Leading the Russians on the day, as he has throughout the tournament, was Maxim Mikhaylov with 22 points and three aces. Egypt, who had been led by their star Ahmed Abdelhay all tournament, today saw more of a team effort. Mohamed Badawy (Moneim) led with 11 points and Reda Haikal and Rashas Atla had 10 and eight points, respectively. Egypt committed 32 errors in the match.

Russia held a slim lead early with two Alexanders (Butko and Volkov) both registering stuffs on an attacking Moneim out wide. The Russian captain Taras Khtey chipped in a pair of crisp attacks to jump out 9-6, but Egypt’s star attacker Abdelhay drove a laser at Sergey Tetyukhin to draw even. Russia scored five of the next six to go ahead 17-13, but Abdelhay managed to excite his side with an incredible spike that flew off a Russia blocker and into the upper deck of Kumamoto Gymnasium. But it’s hard to overpower Russia, as Mikhaylov and Tetyukhin brought spikes to close 25-18.

In the second set Russia again jumped out front, but Egypt continued to show great spirit with Moneim running down a ball on the sidelines and mirculously kicking it back over, only to have the giant Dmitriy Muserskiy slam it back nonchalantly to put Russia up 8-5. Russia’s other big man Mikhaylov followed with more frustration for Moneim rejecting him at the net to extend the lead to five. Volkov pitched in his second ace late to help make it 20-12, and Russia would take it with ease from there 25-17.

The teams traded attacks in the third with Ahmed Afifi (Youssef) delivering a trio of scores from out wide to go up two, but Mikhaylov countered with six spikes for his side early, including a hard drive that evened the score 10-10. Egypt’s Youssef and Russia’s Butko traded aces mid-set with the teams still tied, but a Denis Biriukov block put Russia up 21-19. Egypt rebounded and amazingly got set point on a Rashad spike, and then showed the world that they’re for real on an amazing ace from Reda. On his knees he kissed the court in a touching moment, clearly overjoyed to take a set from the powerful Russians.

Russia did not look amused to have to be playing a fourth set, as Mikhaylov delivered his third ace of the match to help his side go way ahead 11-2, with starters all back on the floor. The captain Khtey attacked well from out wide with three straight Russian points extending to 16-4. Butko dropped his second ace late, as Russia cruised to take the fourth set 25-9 on a spike from Pavel Kruglov, and the match 3-1.