MATCH INFO

Tokyo, Japan, December 4, 2011 - On the final day of 2011 FIVB World Cup play, Cuba took on Egypt at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium coming off a long five-set loss to the USA the night before. Egypt, who had won only one match in the tournament, battled well in every set, but Cuba took the match 3-1 (26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20), solidifying a respectable fifth-place finish in the World Cup.

Fernando Hernandez Ramos started Sunday’s action as the tournament’s leading scorer with 200 points, and with 25 points against Egypt, he has a good chance at being the top scorer in the tournament depending on how Italian Michal Lasko does later in the day against Iran. Cuban captain Wilfredo Leon Venero scored 18 points and Yassel Perdomo Naranjo had 11 points, including six key blocks. For Egypt, their star Ahmed Abdelhay showed he could attack with the best in the world, scoring 24 points in a determined effort.

Men’s World Cup Results/Standings, Match Info, Photos or Live Scoring

Cuba held a slim lead early in the first set with Hernandez attacking well putting his side up 8-5. Egypt momentarily grabbed the lead back at 10-9, but Cuba countered with more Hernandez who threw down a pair to take back the three-point edge. But Egypt rallied to score seven of the next nine points, including consecutive aces by Abdalla Ahmed to put them up 17-15. Cuba again bounced back to lead 20-19 on a Hernandez block, but Abdelhay evened it with his seventh score of the set, and block and a spike from Rashad Atla put them seemingly in control 24-22. But it was not to be, Leon and Hernandez brought Cuba back to tie at 24, and two errant Abdelhay strikes gave it to Cuba 26-24.

Egypt challenged Cuba in the second as well with Abdelhay continuing to attack hard, scoring five points to help Egypt ahead 13-9. Rashas subsequently posted his third block on the powerful Leon to extend to 15-10. But errors from the service line let Cuba claw their way back, tying the match at 19 on a hard Hernandez spike off the block. The swing point in the set was a critical Mohamed Badawy (Moneim) block on Hernandez, helping Egypt up 23-22. Unlike in the first, they would take full advantage of this lead with their captain Ashraf Abouelhassan dropping a gorgeous setter dump to take it 25-23, making it one set a piece.

Cuba took an edge in the third with Perdomo posting a great block (his fourth) on Rashad to go up 10-7. But Egypt showed great blocking too with Moneim and Rashad notching their fourth and fifth stuff blocks respectively, both on Hernandez, to go ahead 16-15. Cuba would move ahead though, although a pair of attacks from Abdel Latif Ahmed tied it at 23-23. But Leon was too strong, scoring Cuba’s last four points to take it 25-23, going ahead a set.

Hernandez looked eager to finish when the fourth set started, attacking hard early, and delivering an ace to help Cuba way ahead 7-1, but amazingly Egypt battled back to tie 12-12 on an ace from their captain Ashraf. It was tied until 15-15 when the streaky Cuba pulled off another 7-1 run that saw Rolando Cepeda Abreu post a block and back-to-back aces to go up 23-16. Perdomo closed it from there with a spike, 25-20, taking the match.