The Italian team got off to a great start in the Rio de Janeiro stage of the Volleyball Nations League. The Italian boys beat Germany 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) and take the first step towards Olympic qualification via the FIVB classification. Against the Germans, the Azzurri obtained the necessary points to confirm third place.
Blue field
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Italy begins with Giannelli as director, and Romano as the opposite; Roseau and Galassi power plants; Spikers Lavia, Micheletto; Palazzo is free. The Azzurri lead almost the entire first group. Germany, starting with Zimmermann-John, Krag-Maas, Kalibrda-Froome and Grafen-Libero, leads by just 11-10. The Azzurri dominate the serve and attack as Caliberda and his teammates chase down without being able to close the gap. Lafia closes the first half, taking advantage of the opponent’s block: 25-21 in the 25th minute. The Brazilian fans at the Maracanazinho stadium chant for De Giorgi’s team: “Italy!, Italy!”. In the second group, the blue color’s dominance seemed more clear from the beginning of the half. Romano, from the second row, closed out a 25-18 lead in 28 minutes with a powerful slam, scoring his seventh point of the second set after six in the first.
counting
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In the third set, Giannelli and his teammates slowed down and Germany took advantage of this to put them under pressure in the reception. Tedeschi leads 8-3, De Giorgi introduces Luca Porro for Lafia. Italy is trying to make a comeback which they finally arrive at: from 19-23 to 23-23. The Germans celebrate an outside attack that would give them the decisive point but the challenge highlights a blocking touch that changes the situation. Then Italy 25-23 with Micheletto
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