Saitama, Japan, November 21, 2006: China saved eight match points before beating Egypt 3-2 on their fifth match point in a pulsating Pool A encounter on Tuesday.
Egypt won the first two sets and missed seven match points in the third set before China fought back to win the next two sets and force the tie-break.
In the fifth-set decider, Egypt missed a further match point before China won it on their fifth match point to complete an amazing victory. China won 22-25, 22-25, 32-30, 25-20, 18-16 to improve their win-loss record to 2-2 while dropping Egypt to 1-3.
Sensing the importance of the occasion, Egypt captain Hamdy Awad led from the front, with some excellent blocking and attacks from the left flank. Saleh Youssef followed his captain's lead with some accurate spiking from the left wing, as did Hossam Shaarawy at the net.
Egypt led by one point at the first TTO but had increased this to three, 16-13, for the second technical break.
After studying each other's games for three matches, the knowledge learned was clearly being put to good use, as the blocking of both teams was snuffing out the attacking threats on the other side.
China's Tang Miao was having to work hard for his points, and captain Sui Shengsheng was taken off with his team down 14-12 and replaced by the strapping teenager Cui Jianjun.
Libero Ren Qi was having another fine game for China, especially on serve reception, and showed his lightning reflexes to cover the gaps between the blockers.
Trailing 22-20, China called a TO but it was too late to save the first set.
Awad made it 23-21 with another clean winner from the left, Shaarawy blocked Yu Dawei to bring up three set points at 24-21, and southpaw Ahmed Elnaeim finished the job 25-22 with a fiery spike from the right which Shen Qiong tried to control, but saw the ball fly back over the net and clear the Egypt end line, such was the force of Elnaeim's strike.
China's spiking lacked consistency in the second set, too, and Tang was withdrawn from the attack after a wild spike had pushed Egypt ahead 10-8. He was replaced by Yuan Zhi, who responded by scoring the next point but who would give way to Tang with China down 14-12.
The athletic Shen caught the eye again with the variety of his spiking, and a heavily sliced attack caught out the Egypt block and defence to even the score at 10-10.
Another clean spike on the left from Youssef moved Egypt in front 15-13, and an Elnaeim serve hit the net cord and bounced over for 16-13 at the second TTO.
Egypt stayed in front down the stretch, and a crunching block by Elnaeim on Shen gave them a three-point lead at 22-19 and prompted a China TO.
Shen and Elnaeim were having a punishing duel out on China's left flank, and Shen scored a couple more times to keep China close before Mohamed Elnafrawy brought up set point Egypt at 24-22 and captain Awad blocked Shen down the middle on the next point, 25-22 and 2-0.
China had early points in the third set from substitutes Cui Xiaodong and Cui Jianjun as head coach Zhou Jianan searched for a winning formula, but as a team they could not match the fluency or consistency of Egypt.
A soaring Tang winner down the centre was followed by a bullet serve from Yu Dawei as China nudged ahead 10-9, but they could not stay in front for long.
Egypt's setter and powerhouse server, Abdallah Ahmed, showed his soccer skills with a neat piece of control after the ball had struck the net cord for Egypt to win another point, and Awad continued to push the Africans forward, 16-14 at the second TTO.
Just when the Egyptians looked to be in control, China fought back furiously, and Cui Xiaodong closed the gap to one at 20-19 and forced an Egypt TO. Another slicing winner from Shen on the left made it 20-20.
In a tense end to the third set, Egypt missed seven match points before China won it 32-30 on their first set point when a frustrated captain Awad spiked long.
Not surprisingly, Egypt were still suffering at the start of the fourth set, whereas China had fresh heart and Shen was cutting loose.
Elnaeim spiked wildly on the right, and when Youssef failed to control an easy serve from Cui Xiaodong, China had a four-point lead at the first TTO. Youssef paid the price for Egypt's lethargy and was replaced on the resumption of play.
Down 13-10, Egypt took off ace spiker Elnaeim in an attempt to freshen up their attack, but had a four-point deficit, 16-12, at the second TTO.
China captain Sui kept his team out in front, despite some lusty blows from Mahmoud Elkoumy, and Egypt took a TO at 22-18 following a serve into the net by a recalled Elnaeim and wide spike from Elnafrawy on the left. Sui brought up set point at 24-19, and the same player finished it 25-20 for 2-2.
China started the tie-break in confident mood, but Elnaeim was back to his best and China called a TO down 5-4.
Leading 8-7 at the turnaround, China could not pull away, despite Shen's spikes and Yu's powerful serves.
A block on Elnaeim and a spike at the net from Cui Xiaodong took China to 11-9 and forced another Egypt TO, and captain Sui made it 13-10...just two points from an amazing comeback victory. Cui brought up match point at 14-11, but they missed the next two points and called a TO with one chance remaining at 14-13. Once again the Egypt block saved the day, 14-14.
China won it 18-16 after a bad set gave Elnaeim no chance.
