Koshikawa (JPN) spikes against Jiang, Li and Cui (CHN)
Japan
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China
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Saitama, Japan, November 18, 2006: China turned the tables on Asian champions Japan to win a memorable Pool A match 3-2 in front of over 14,000 fans at Saitama Super Arena on Saturday night.
The Chinese fought back from one set down to triumph 22-25, 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13 and record their first success of the World Championships. Both teams now have a 1-1 win-loss record with three matches to play in the first round.
Japan trailed 8-5 at the first technical break of the first set, and when China extended this lead to 12-8 Japan called a TO.
Southpaw spiker Takahiro Yamamoto was well marked on the right flank, and had to work hard for his points, while China libero Ren Qi displayed perfect positioning and control to cover the menace of Yusuke "Gottsu" Ishijima.
Kota Yamamura and Nobuharu Saito both enjoyed success at the net, but China's Yu Dawei and Wang Haichuan gave as good as they got in this department. Out wide, captain Sui Shengsheng was involved in a ferocious duel with Yamamoto, and Shen Qiong and Tang Miao were a constant threat.
Japan closed the gap to 18-17 to force a China TO, and an Ishijima bullet serve brought Japan level. The arrival of Shinya Chiba earlier in the set had boosted Japan's attack and now he showed his blocking quality to take Japan nearer the target and have his coach, Tatsuya Ueta, punching the air in celebration on the sidelines.
His team were pumped up, too, and the opening set ended tamely when Li Chun came on for China and promptly served into the net, 25-22 Japan.
Japan quickly trailed 5-1 in the second set until an Ishijima sizzler on the left lifted the home team, before a Tang bullet gave China a three-point cushion at the first TTO, 8-5. A terrific block by Yu on Saito highlighted China's superiority at this stage, and Japan needed a TO down 11-5.
Whatever was said during the break worked a treat, as Saito returned like a man possessed and gave rival middle blocker Yu a taste or two of his own punishing medicine. An ace down the right from Yu took China to the second TTO ahead 16-13.
The setting of Kosuke Tomonaga was ideal for Yamamura and Saito to strike stylish winners at the net, and Japan drew level 21-21 with a thundering block by Yamamura on Shen.
Shen showed his athleticism and timing with a wonderful spike on the run to keep China in front, and the same player brought up set point at 24-22. A rocket serve from Tang ended the second set 25-22 for 1-1.
In the third set, China fell asleep in the early stages and gifted some easy points to Japan, who led 3-0 to bring about a China TO. The quality of serve dropped for both teams, leading to a succession of easy points and fragmented play.
When Wang drew China level 12-12, Japan called a TO, having squandered a four-point advantage. Shen was finding gaps at the front of the Japan court, and Tang was explosive on the right, but China could not pull away as the set entered the closing stages.
A tremendous serve reception by libero Ren on a Koshikawa missile enabled Cui Jianjun to score again, and he followed up with a serve that struck the net cord and rolled over, 19-17 China. Tang brought up set point at 24-20, and Shen blew open the Japan defence to seal it 25-20, 2-1 China.
Clearly China did not want a fifth set, and began the fourth at a furious pace, led by Wang at the net. Japan fought back and a Koshikawa ace made it 6-6. When southpaw Ryuji Naohiro scored from the right to give Japan the lead 12-9, China called a TO and returned to score the next five points, including a service ace into the far corner from Yu.
Another magnificent Chinese serve, this time from Tang, hurtled through the Japan team for China to go in for the second TTO with a three-point cushion, 16-13.
As Japan drew closer, Cui Jianjun produced some timely winners for China to stay in front, but Koshikawa brought Japan level and Ishijima returned to the court at 23-23 to serve and inspire Japan to the fourth set 25-23.
Yamamoto on the right and Yamamura at the net were prominent in the early stages of the tie-break, and China replied through Tang and Cui Jianjun, who continued to come up with clean winners on either side, 8-7 China at the turn around.
China had three match points at 14-11, but missed two with a Yuan Zhi service error and wild Cui spike. On the third, Yu rose at the net and his attack was touched out by the Japanese block to end it 15-13 China.
