The United States won their first match of Pool F on Tuesday with a closely fought 3-2 victory over Germany in the FIVB Volleyball World Championship for Men in Hiroshima.
The Americans battled hard for a 30-28, 15-25, 24-26, 26-24, 15-13 victory that improved their win-loss record in the group to 2-4, which includes matches from Pool C in Nagano last week.
The Germans drop to 2-4 in Pool F after coming within two points of victory in the fourth set. They are still searching for their first victory in Hiroshima after finishing second in Fukuoka's Pool B.
The win enhanced the United States' chances of qualifying for the play-offs, coming two days after they took France to five sets.
The Germans also remain in the hunt with both teams having one match remaining - the US against Cuba and Germany against Czech Republic.
William Priddy and David McKienzie came out strong for the US, who established a 5-3 lead before the defensive play of Ralph Bergmann and Bjorn Andrae's spike brought Germany back to 7-7.
The two teams' strengths and weaknesses appeared to cancel each other out as they tailed each other, with Christian Pampel and Andrae matching the spike power of Priddy and McKienzie.
But it was American captain Thomas Hoff who opened up a two-point gap for his team, at 16-14, with a soft slap straight down that sent the set into its second TTO.
The Germans wasted several chances to put away a point and ended up serving up a winner for McKienzie, his second in succession, to put the US 20-18 up and force Germany into a time out.
Marcus Popp started to exert influence for Germany on the left side of their attack and Stefan Hubner pounced in the middle to level the set at 21-21.
Pampel then put Germany ahead and Priddy's wild spike saw the Europeans go two points in front. Hubner's slam gave Germany two set points but the US forced deuce through Riley Salmon and a Simon Tischer error.
Germany squandered two more set points before Clayton Stanley gave USA the advantage with a searing serve. He then undid it by serving long only for Germany to foul on their serve as well.
The US finally won the set on their third set point after a fine block.
Salmon started to make his presence felt for the United States early in the second set but it was Germany who went into the first TTO with an 8-6 lead thanks to their receiving and blocking.
Popp made it 11-8 to Germany, prompting a US time-out, but Andrae's ace, Popp and Pampel took their team 14-8 clear.
Germany appeared to be in control of the set as they went into a 16-8 second TTO advantage. They then went on a surge with Bergmann giving them nine set points, which Pampel converted at the first attempt.
The Germans were under pressure early in the third set but used great defence to battle back to 5-5 from 5-2 down. However, it was the US, with Priddy on fire, who led 8-7 at the first TTO.
The momentum started to swing USA's way as Germany lost their way somewhat, a series of German errors taking the Americans 12-8 ahead.
Tischer, under pressure for his place from captain Frank Dehne, was setting well for Germany but the US took advantage of more mistakes to maintain their four-point lead at 16-12.
Germany caught up to 17-18 and spent the next few phases trying to bridge a two-point gap before they levelled matters at 22-22.
Then, after trailing for most of the set, Germany took the lead for the first time to bring up set point, which the US were equal to. Pampel earned another set point and this time Germanyput it away with a block on Clayton Stanley.
The Americans went 3-1 ahead in the fourth set but Germany kept it close and took a 8-7 lead into the first TTO.
Salmon and German substitute Robert Kromm, the tallest player on court at 2.12m, traded blows while McKienzie was effective on the right-hand side. After some of the closest rallies of the match, there was nothing in it as Germany went into the second TTO 16-15 ahead.
Germany then snatched the chance to take a grip on the set with Kromm slamming home a winner for a 18-15 lead and sending the US into a time-out.
McKienzie led a US fightback to 20-20 but he then spiked wide to hand Germany a 23-21 advantage. The US won a long rally to get back to 23-23 and then James Polster stunned the Germans by bringing up set point.
Bergman saved it before McKienzie regained the advantage for his team and the US levelled it at two sets all when German captain Frank Dehne made a setting error.
Polster was instrumental in helping the US to a 6-3 lead in the fifth set, which include two brilliant serves that forced Germany into a time-out.
Germany recovered to 6-6 but the US led 8-7 at the changeover on Andre's service error.
McKienzie's block and Polster's spike moved the US 12-9 ahead before Pampel's miss gave the Americans two match points.
Andrae saved one but Salmon put the finishing touches to a exhausting victory for the Americans.
