India Upset S. Korea, China Sweep Kazakhstan

Home>>Sports

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 06, 2003

India Upset S. Korea, China Sweep Kazakhstan

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Surprise came on the first day of the 12th Asian Men's Volleyball Championship opening in Tianjin on Friday. Defending Asian champions South Korea were upset by India23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22 and 17-15 and the disappointing South Korean head coach Cha Joo-Hyun skipped the press conference after the match.

Though, India's Bulgarian head coach Hristo Iliev did not thinkthe team's first victory over South Korea was a surprise.

"It's not a surprise for me," said Iliev. "South Korea played very well in defense, but our players fought together till the endfor the victory."

"I think it's the best match of the day and the two teams showed the high level of Asian volleyball," he added.

China overcame a slow start to sweep Kazakhstan 3-0 in preliminary Group A. Tang Miao and Shen Qiong led the Chinese with 11 kills each.

After splitting the first two sets of the Group B match, South Korea won six of the last seven points to take the third set 25-20.

India trailed 6-3 early in the fourth set but surged back with a 13-7 run for a 16-13 advantage. South Korea stayed within 23-22but could not hold on. Indian Joseph Jobi smashed home a ball to make it 24-22 before the 2.09-meter Rao Y.Subba teamed up with Kohammed Shijas for a blocking point and the set winner.

In the tie-breaker, the Indians withstood two match points to tie it at 15-15. South Korean Suk Jin-wook smashed a ball out to give India their first match point and India converted on it with G. Pradeep's storming kill.

China came out a little bit nervous in front of some 8,000 enthusiastic home fans. The third placers in the last Asian Championship in 2001 made couples of serving mistakes in the firstset and could not pull away.

After the scoreline was tied at 24-24, Cui Xiaodong and Tang Miao teamed up to stuff a shot from Kazakhstan to give China the edge and Denis Zhukov smashed out on the next move to surrender the set.

The hosting team seemed more comfortable in second set and easily took a 25-14 win on back of high flying attacks by Tang andShen. They went on to win the third set 25-20 and clinch the victory.

"Many of our players are at their first international tournament, that's why they were nervous in the first set," said Chinese head coach Di An'he. "We played better in the second and third sets."

"Generally speaking, we only displayed 60 percent of our abilities," Di added. "We made too many errors in serving and receiving."

In Friday's other actions, Japan whitewashed New Zealand 3-0, Iran demolished Qatar 3-0.

Top two finishers from the tournament, which runs through September 12, will qualify for the World Cup in November in Japan.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Tianjin to Host 12th Asian Men's Volleyball Championship

Who's Going to Close "the Gate of Hell"? ( 10 Messages)

Why Japanese PM Proposes Amending Constitution Now ( 37 Messages)

China Seeking to Ease RMB Revaluation Pressure ( 3 Messages)