Germans continue winning streak with victory over Greece
Germans block Greek captain Roumeliotis
Greece
vs
Germany
0
-
3
Germany maintained their dream run in the FIVB Volleyball World Championship for Men on Sunday with a 3-0 victory over Greece in Pool B that gave them their third straight victory in Fukuoka.
After victories over Australia and Cuba, Germany beat Greece 25-22, 28-26, 25-21to be among the group leaders. Their run almost mirrors the performance of their women's world championship team three weeks ago.
But 3-0 probably reflects unfairly on Greece, who never appeared second best in quality but ended up so in terms of points.
The Greeks lost their third straight match, following defeats to France and Brazil, and must win their next two outings if they are to qualify for the second round in Hiroshima.
For the Germans, their place in Hiroshima is secure but they face their biggests tests against pool favourites France and Brazil in their next two matches.
Greece captain Nikolaos Roumeliotis led the way at the start of the match, with Ilias Lappas and Sotirios Pantaleon providing good support in helping their team take an 8-5 lead.
The Germans were uncharacteristically lethargic in the early stages but once Marcus Popp started hitting them down the left, they started to find their rhythm, fighting back to 9-9.
There was only a one-point difference between the teams with Jochen Schops' spike giving Germany a 16-15 first time-out lead.
Popp's service winner opened up a two-point gap for Germany at 18-16 before Roumeliotis' floater brought the Greeks level at 19-19.
Simon Tischer's service ace restored Germany's two-point lead at 21-19 and Roumeliotis then sent an angled spike wide as the Germans closed in on the set.
Greece saved two set-points before Lappas' serve slammed into the net to give Germany a 1-0 advantage.
The Greeks struck back from 3-1 down in the second set to go into the first TTO 8-7 in arrears. Veteran Stefan Hubner was becoming more influential for Germany while Bjorn Andrae was getting more spike time on the wings.
Lappas was in fine form to keep the Greeks in it and, at times, it appeared to be a personal duel between him and Hubner.
Like the first set, the score balanced on a one-pont margin over a series of side-outs and lead changes with Germany, once again, taking a 16-15 second TTO lead.
The scoring highlighted the outstanding setting of Greece's Vasileios Kournetas and Tischer for Germany, who called time out at 18-17 down.
But it was Greece who broke the one-point barrier, with Roumeliotis slamming one down the right to give his team a 19-17 lead.
Hubner levelled by blocking Roumeliotis, one of the many times he had done so in the match, as neither team wanted to lose their grip on the set.
Andreas Andreadis blocked Germany's Andrae to give his side set point at 24-23. Germany levelled and then brought on Robert Kromm, the tallest player on court at 2.12m.
But Kromm gave Greece another set point by sending his spike long but poor serving brought the Germans level again.
Greece then saved set point but Germany nailed a 2-0 lead when Schops powered one into mid-court.
The Greeks had taken Germany close, and were at times dominant, but still found themselves two sets down.
They needed a big lead in the third to get back into the match. Andreadis earned his side some good points but they were only 8-7 up at the first TTO.
Twice Germany went two points ahead and both times Greece came back but it was the same story as in the first two sets as the Germans went into the second time out 16-15 ahead.
Greece lost their focus for a crucial period, allowing Germany to pull away to 19-15. With Germany's bench, including captain Frank Dehne, leading the noisy crowd in cheering on their team, they went to 21-17 before Greece called their final time-out.
Germany won the match when Lappas' serve smashed into the net.
