MATCH INFO

Almirante Brown, Argentina, August 21, 2011 – France advanced to the top-eight round in Bahia Blanca by outlasting Brazil in a thrilling five-setter 14-25, 25-20, 9-25, 25-22, 15-12 on Sunday morning. Like in the previous edition in 2009, the six-time champions Brazil will have play in the 9-16 classification round.

Thibault Rossard totaled 16 points as the winners’ leading scorer. Soane Falafala added 13 and Quentin Jouffroy contributed 12 including three blocks and two aces. Brazil’s Joao Ferreira finished with a match-high 19 points while Allison Melo and Alan Souza each chipped in 10 tallies.

Brazil led 8-6 at the first technical time-out behind the solid spikes of Wagner Silva and roared to a 16-8 advantage at the second stop with good net defense and good serves. The gap expanded to 21-10 when the French coach called for a time-out. It was not long before the South Americans closed the first set 25-14 with a couple of France’s serving errors.

France stormed to a 5-point lead thanks to the excellent serves of Rossard and Jouffroy and good counterattacks. When the gap increased to 13-6, the Brazilian coach called for time-out. The second technical time-out arrived with the French boys leading 16-8. Brazil started a hot streak of good defense and counterattacks to reduce the distance to three points (20-17) but France restored the order with the combined offense of Rossard, Jouffoy and Falafala claiming the set 25-20.

One text-book volleyball lesson gave Brazil a flying start to the third set as the South Americans led 8-2 and 16-5 at the technical time-outs with the outstanding spikes of Joao Ferreira and the blocking of Tarcisio Guinter. Then it was time for crafty setter Thiago Veloso with a couple of disguise plays en route to a 25-9 finish.

France built up a four-point lead at the first technical time-out (8-4) but Brazil managed to reduce the difference halfway in the set but France was still ahead by three points (16-13). At 20-17, Brazilian coach called for a time-out and when play resumed Melo shortened the distance to 20-19 with a couple of strong spikes. Kaba responded from the French side. When Souza’s spike landed out of bounds for 23-20, Rossard scored the last two points for the European team and the 25-22 final.

In the tie-breaker teams traded sides with Brazil leading 8-5 product of several French errors. Things changed all of a sudden and France managed to equalize the score at 8-all with spike from Falafala followed by block of Kaba. Then teams began to trade blows. France took a two-point lead (13-11) after failed spikes of Melo and Souza. Rossard’s attack went long but Guinter serve’s crashed into the net and France won the match when Jouffroy blocked Melo.