Press release

Kim Hyung-Sil, Korea coach: "We were very happy to beat such a world power like Cuba. Four years ago we lost and didn't want it to happen again. We won today because we were mentally strong. We will continue to fight for the ticket to the Olympic Games. I think we were 70-80 percent successful with our plan in today's match. The Cubans are good at center-blocking, so we had to take measures to counter that."

Juan Carlos Gala, Cuba coach: "Our team didn't do very well today. We played at about 50 percent of our ability. We made too many mistakes. It was suicidal they way we played. The first match is always tough. We have a young team that is not very experienced internationally. That2 may have been the difference today."

Kim-Yeon Koung, Korea player: "We are very happy to win the first game. The Cuban team was strong. To beat them means a lot. We will do our best again tomorrow. The second set was the turning point. We were confident and trusted each other and that was key. Our team made mistakes on serve, but we went point-by-point and won. Many veterans contributed to the victory."

Yusidey Silie, Cuba captain: "We didn't play very well - especially on reception. The Korean team played well tactically and strategically. Attacking is our strength. Our weak point is our reception."