Japan begin Sendai campaign with victory over Canada
Takahiro Yamamoto (JPN) spikes
Japan
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Canada
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Sendai, Japan, November 25, 2006: Japan took a major step towards the third and final stage of the men's World Championship in Tokyo next week by beating Canada 3-1 in Pool E at Sendai City Gymnasium on Saturday night.
In front of 7,659 spectators, Japan recovered from losing the first set to win the match 23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22 and improve their win-loss record in the second round to 3-1. Canada slid to 1-3.
With only two of the eight Pool E teams dropping out before the tournament heads for Tokyo, Japan should be safe already as both Tunisia and Argentina are 0-4 with three games to play.
Japan made too many errors early in the game, both with their serves and their outside hitting, enabling Canada to lead 8-7 at the first technical break.
Paul Duerden, on the other hand, settled Canada's nerves with some adventurous attacking, and Steve Brinkman showed his quick reactions at the net.
Pascal Cardinal beat Japan down the middle, and when a service ace from captain Murray Grapentine was too hot to handle for libero Katsutoshi Tsumagari and Canada led 12-10, Japan coach Tatsuya Ueta called the match's first TO. Brinkman continued his dominant form at the net against a strangely sluggish Japan team, who needed southpaw Takahiro Yamamoto to find his range quickly.
Down 16-14, Japan changed setters. Yuta Abe replaced Kosuke Tomonaga and this seemed to benefit Shinya Chiba, who helped pull Japan level 19-19. On the next play, Yamamoto blocked Frederic Winters when they went head-to-head on Canada's left flank, and Canada called their second TO in quick succession.
Yusuke "Gottsu" Ishijima blocked Duerden on the other wing for Japan to lead 22-20, and a wild spike by Yamamoto brought the scores level 23-23 and prompted a Japan TO.
Canada finished strongly. Christian Bernier brought up set point at 24-23 with a delicate push into space on the left wing, and a rocket serve from Winters was too good for Japan's defence and the first set belonged to Canada, 25-23. Japan looked much more determined in the second set, and raced into a 10-2 lead. The Canadian attack began to falter, and Japan were playing a more fluid game behind some booming southpaw serves from Yamamoto.
A crashing block by Kota Yamamura on Duerden pushed Japan ahead 12-3 and resulted in a Canada TO, and the home team was still in control, 16-8, at the second TTO.
There had been signs that Japan's march was stalling, and on the resumption of play the wheels fell off, albeit temporarily, and Canada closed to 16-13. Duerden rose on the right and sent a sharply angled spike flashing across court, and Winters battered away on the left. When Bernier blocked Yamamoto on Japan's right, Canada's deficit was now two, 17-15.
Although Canada would not let go of the second set, Japan scored at just the right times to stay in front. The home team had four set points at 24-20, and Nobuharu Saito smashed a glorious winner at the net to close it out 25-21 for 1-1.
Chiba was having a fine game for Japan, with his spiking, serving, reception and back-court defence, and they opened up a 5-1 lead in the third frame. A well-controlled one-handed set from Tomonaga allowed Saito to spike imperiously, and a Yamamura block gave the home team a six-point cushion at the first technical break. When play resumed, Duerden was withdrawn from the Canadian attack, and aggressive southpaw Dallas Soonias presented fresh problems for the Japan block.
Ishijima's blistering serves and Yamamoto's spiking from the right swept Japan towards the third set, and the increasingly influential Saito swatted another winner to keep Canada pegged back. Japan reached set point at 24-16, and Yamamoto finished it 25-17 for 2-1.
Japan clearly did not want a tie-breaker and made another fast-paced start to the fourth set, 8-5 at the first TTO thanks to a cool Chiba winner from the left.
Ishijima could scent victory and drove his team forward, and a sizzling right-wing spike on the run from Yamamoto put Japan in front 16-10 at the second technical break and well on the way to clinching the match.
Play resumed with an instinctive one-handed block by Chiba on lefty Soonias, who was withdrawn shortly after, and Canada replied with a jackhammer down the middle from Brett Youngberg, getting his first taste of action deep into the fourth frame.
Canada's blocking led to some anxious moments for Japan down the stretch, and when Ishijima fired wide the home team's lead was down to two at 22-20.
Yamamoto brought up match point at 24-21, and Michael Munday served tamely into the net to hand Japan the fourth set 25-22.
