Osaka, Japan, November 25, 2011 – The FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup Japan 2011 concludes its second round in Osaka and Kumamoto on Friday with six additional exciting matches on tap before the two initial groups of six teams split into new groups for the third round. Four days into the competition, no team is undefeated causing a log-jam of teams within striking distance of the top three spots to earn 2012 Olympic Games qualification.

Osaka, the Site A for the second round, will showcase Argentina (3-1, 8 points) against Iran (3-1, 7 points) at 11.00 in the opening match, followed by Cuba (2-2, 6 points) versus Serbia (1-3, 3 points) at 15.00 and Japan (0-4, 2 points) hosting Poland (3-1, 10 points) at 18.20. At Site B Kumamoto, Egypt (1-3, 3 points) will look forward to playing Russia (3-1, 9 points) at 11.00 to start the day, while Brazil (3-1, 10 points) faces China (0-4, 0 points) at 15.00 and the day ends with Italy (3-1, 8 points) versus USA (2-2, 6 points) at 18.20.

Six teams, or half the field, hold a 3-1 record and two other teams are sitting at 2-2. Brazil and Poland are tied at the top with 10 points, while Russia follow with nine points. The top eight countries are within four points of each other as teams earn three points for a 3-0 or 3-1 win, two points for a 3-2 win and one point for a 3-2 loss.

The 12-team FIVB World Cup field has been equally divided into two sites with the same six teams competing in a round-robin during first and second rounds. On Friday, the teams will play the last of five round-robin matches before being split into new groups against new opponents for the third round. All told, the 12 teams will play 11 matches each over a 15-day schedule with the top three teams earning a berth into the 2012 Olympic Games.

Second Round Pool A at Osaka

Argentina versus Iran
Argentina holds eight points in the tournament with a 3-1 record following their win over Cuba on Thursday. Iran are one point behind Argentina with seven and a 3-1 record after pulling off a stunning five-set victory over Poland after losing the third set 25-8 on Thursday.

Mehdi Bazargarde Seyed paces Iran with 55 points in four matches. Facundo Conte has scored 72 points in pacing Argentina during the FIVB World Cup.

Argentina and Iran will be meeting for only the second time in the all-time series, the first being an Argentina 3-0 victory during the 1998 FIVB Men’s World Championship at Sapporo, Japan.

Cuba versus Serbia
Cuba dropped to 2-2 in the World Cup with six points following a four-set loss to Argentina on Thursday. Serbia won their first match of the FIVB Men’s World Cup as they held off a pesky Japan time in five sets. Both Serbia and Japan were in search of their first victory.

The Cuba-Serbia match should prove to be a battle among their offensive weapsons. Cuba’s Fernando Hernandez Ramos and Serbia’s Ivan Miljkovic are tied atop the Best Scorer race with 74 points scored.

“We probably missed our opportunity for London by losing the first three games, but we will try our best in the rest of this tournament,” Serbia coach Igor Kolakovic said.

Cuba and Serbia have met 25 times with Serbia leading the series with a 17-8 record. Cuba edged Serbia in a classic five-set battle during the 2010 FIVB Men’s World Championship in Rome to advance to the gold-medal match. Serbia had won five of the six previous meetings in the series.

Japan versus Poland
Poland, which is in a tie for first place with Brazil with a 3-1 record and 10 points, will look to rebound from their first loss of the tournament on Thursday to Iran as they face host Japan.

“We must forget this game and move on,” Poland captain Marcin Mozdzonek said after his team’s loss to Iran.

Meanwhile, the host country lost to for the fourth time in the tournament the second time in five sets, the latest being a heartbreaking loss to Serbia in which they came back from two sets down before the comeback came up short in the tiebreaker.

Poland’s Zbigniew Bartman has piled up 74 points for third place in the tournament. Japan’s Kunihiro Shimizu has thrilled the local fans with 56 points.

Poland lead the all-time series with Japan with a 22-6 record. However, Japan came away with the last victory in a thrilling five-set match during the 2009 FIVB Grand Champions Cup held in Osaka. The series history has provided some thrilling matches with 11 of the matches being decided by a fifth-set tiebreaker and only nine being settled in three sets.
 
Second Round Pool B at Kumamoto

Egypt versus Russia
Russia absorbed their first loss of the tournament on Thursday against Brazil, but remain as one of six teams with one loss. The Russians have defeated Italy (3-1), USA (3-0) and China (3-0). Egypt are now 1-3 in the tournament with three points following a three-set loss to USA on Thursday.

Maxim Mikhaylov has produced 64 points in four World Cup matches to lead Russia, while Egypt’s Ahmed Abdelhay has notched 67 points.

Russia have won all 13 meetings in the series with Egypt, the last victory being during the second round of the 2010 FIVB Men’s World Championship in Catania, Italy.

Brazil versus China
After a four-set loss to Italy on Tuesday, Brazil came back with a vengeance on Thursday with a straight set win over Russia to climb back in the tournament lead with a 3-1 record and 10 points. China dropped to 0-4 in the World Cup after a loss to Italy on Thursday.

“Now the championship is open again, and we’re thinking about the next match, and then the one after that,” Brazil captain Gilberto Godoy Filho (Giva) said after his team knocked off previously unbeaten Russia. “The World Cup is hard for everybody, and we have to be thinking about going step by step.”

Brazil’s Leandro Vissotto Neves has sparked his team with 53 points as the South American team has enjoyed a balanced offense. China is led by Ping Chen and his 36 points.

Brazil and China have met 14 times before Saturday’s match with the South American powerhouse winning the last nine meetings of the 14 matches. Brazil won the last meeting, a three-set victory on China home turf at the 2008 Olympic Games. China won the first five matches of the series including victories in the 1956, 1962, 1966 and 1978 World Championships and the 1977 World Cup.

Italy versus USA
The USA are 2-2 with six points in the tournament, while Italy are 3-1 with eight points in the standings. The North American squad has defeated China (3-0) and Egypt (3-0) around losses to No. 1 Brazil (3-1) and Russia (3-0). Italy have earned other victories over Brazil (3-1), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0).

Italy lead the all-time series against USA, winning 20 of the 34 matches to date. Italy won the most recent match, a four-set victory in the 2010 FIVB Men’s World Championship in Rome. Prior to the World Championship loss, the USA had defeated Italy in eight of the previous 10 meetings including a four-set victory in the 2008 Olympic Games.

“As far as any changes, I don’t think we need to change a whole lot,” USA captain Clayton Stanley said in regards to Friday’s match with Italy. “Like today we need to press with our serve, take care of reception and maintain a balanced offense… And we need to make sure to close the seams on our blocks on the outside.

Michal Lasko paces Italy with 71 points for fifth place overall in Best Scorer. Stanley leads the USA in scoring with 55 points including a tournament-leading 11 aces.

“We have to start again and focus on the next match tomorrow, another very important match for us,” Italy coach Mauro Berruto said.

Tournament Leading Scorers
1 Fernando Hernandez Ramos (CUB) 74 points
1 Ivan Miljkovic (SRB) 74
3 Facundo Conte (ARG) 72
3 Zbigniew Bartman (POL) 72 points
5 Michal Lasko (ITA) 71 points

Top Scoring Performances
27 – Michal Lasko (ITA) v BRA, Nov. 22
26 – Michal Lasko (ITA) v RUS, Nov. 20
26 – Bartosz Kurek (POL) v IRI, Nov. 24
22 – Ivan Miljkovic (SRB) v IRI on Nov. 22
22 – Zbigniew Bartman (POL) v IRI on Nov. 24

Top Scorers by Day
November 20: 26 – Michal Lasko (Italy) versus Russia
November 21: 21 – Zbigniew Bartman (Poland) versus Serbia; Tatsuya Fukuzaka (Japan) versus Argentina
November 22: 27 – Michal Lasko (Italy) versus Brazil
November 24: 26 – Bartosz Kurek (Poland) versus Iran

Top Blocking Performances
7 – Alexander Volkov (RUS) v ITA on Nov. 20
7 – Michal Lasko (ITA) v BRA on Nov. 22
6 – Piotr Nowakowski (POL) v SRB on Nov. 21
6 – Alexander Butko (RUS) v USA on Nov. 22
6 – Sebastian Sole (ARG) v CUB on Nov. 24 

Top Service Ace Performances
6 – Bartosz Kurek (POL) v IRI on Nov. 24
4 – Maxim Mikyahlov (RUS) v CHN on Nov. 21
4 – Ivan Zaytsev (ITA) v BRA on Nov. 22
4 – Clayton Stanley (USA) v EGY on Nov. 24
4 – Sergey Tetyuhkin (RUS) v BRA on Nov. 24

Highest Set Score: 30-28 – POL v SRB (Set 4) on Nov. 21

Highest Scoring Matches
217 – Italy beat Brazil 3-2 (25-16, 20-25, 18-25, 25-21, 22-20) on Nov. 22
211 – Iran beat Poland 3-2 (23-25, 28-26, 8-25, 26-24, 15-11) on Nov. 24
203 – Iran beat Serbia 3-2 (25-17, 18-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-11) on Nov. 22
196 – Argentina beat Japan 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 11-25, 25-15, 15-12) on Nov. 21

For more information contact:
Site A (Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Tokyo-Yoyogi Gymnasium) - Mr. Federico Ferraro
 +81 (0)80 2584 4622

Site B: (Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Toyama, Hamamatsu, Tokyo Metropolitan Stadium) - Mr. Bill Kauffman
 +81 (0)80 2584 4623

For all non urgent inquiries concerning the 2011 FIVB Men's World Cup please contact the FIVB Press Department at press@fivb.org.