It is time for opening this topic. For 2 weeks, Olympic tournament are going to start, and we should discuss about predictions, expectations, news, players... Those are first Olympic Games at this site, so it is gonna be interesting:)
Group A
1st round (1st match) - 29.07.2012:
Great Britain - Bulgaria 0:3 (18:25, 20:25, 24:26)
Australia - Argentina 0:3 (21:25, 22:25, 20:25)
Italy - Poland 1:3 (25:21, 20:25, 23:25, 14:25)
(2nd match) - 01.08.2012:
Great Britain - Australia 0:3 (15:25, 18:25, 20:25)
Poland - Bulgaria 1:3 (22:25, 27:29, 25:13, 23:25)
Italy - Argentina 3:1 (25:17, 21:25, 25:17, 25:23)
(3rd match) - 02.08.2012:
Australia - Bulgaria 0:3 (23:25, 21:25, 22:25)
Poland - Argentina 3:0 (25:18, 25:20, 25:16)
Great Britain - Italy 0:3 (19:25, 16:25, 20:25)
(4th match) - 04.08.2012:
Great Britain - Poland 0:3 (16:25, 19:25, 18:25)
Australia - Italy 2:3 (25:21, 25:18, 21:25, 14:25, 13:15)
Argentina - Bulgaria 3:1 (25:18, 21:25, 25:19, 25:20)
(5th match) - 06.08.2012:
Australia - Poland 3:1 (25:21, 25:22, 18:25, 25:22)
Italy - Bulgaria 0:3 (30:32, 20:25, 19:25)
Great Britain - Argentina 0:3 (18:25, 18:25, 15:25)
1. Bulgaria 12 points/ 13:4
2. Poland 9 points/ 11:7
3. Argentina 9 points/ 10:7
4. Italy 8 points/ 10:9
5. Australia 7 points/ 8:10
6. Great Britain 0 points/ 0:15
Group B:
1st round (1st match) - 29.07.2012:
Russia - Germany 3:0 (31:29, 25:18, 25:17)
USA - Serbia 3:0 (25:17, 25:22, 25:21)
Brazil - Tunisia 3:0 (25:17, 25:21, 25:18)
(2nd match) - 01.08.2012:
Serbia - Tunisia 3:0 (25:15, 25:21, 20:25, 25:18)
USA - Germany 3:0 (25:23, 25:16, 25:20)
Brazil - Russia 3:0 (25:21, 25:23, 25:21)
(3rd match) - 02.08.2012:
Serbia - Germany 2:3 (25:22, 29:27, 18:25, 20:25, 18:20)
Russia - Tunisia 3:0 (25:21, 25:15, 25:23)
Brazil - USA 1:3 (25:23, 25:27, 19:25, 17:25)
(4th match) - 04.08.2012:
Germany - Tunisia 3:0 (25:15, 25:16, 25:16)
Russia - USA 3:2 (27:29, 19:25, 26:24, 25:16, 15:8)
Brazil - Serbia 3:2 (22:25, 25:15, 20:25, 25:22, 15:9)
(5th match) - 06.08.2012:
Russia - Serbia 3:0 (25:15, 25:20, 25:17)
USA - Tunisia 3:0 (25:15, 25:19, 25:19)
Germany - Brazil 0:3 (25:21, 25:22, 25:19)
1. USA 13 points/ 14:4
2. Brazil 11 points/ 13:5
3. Russia 11 points/ 12:5
4. Germany 5 points/ 6:11
5. Serbia 5 points/ 7:13
6. Tunisia 0 points/ 1:15
Quarterfinals (08.08.2012):
Argentina - Brazil 0:3 (19:25, 17:25, 20:25)
USA - Italy 0:3 (26:28, 20:25, 20:25)
Poland - Russia 0:3 (17:25, 23:25, 21:25)
Bulgaria - Germany 3:0 ((25:20, 25:16, 25:14)
Semifinals (10.08.2012):
Brazil - Italy 3:0 (25:21, 25:12, 25:21)
Bulgaria - Russia 1:3 (21:25, 15:25, 25:23, 23:25)
3rd place match (12.08.2012):
Italy - Bulgaria 3:1 (25:19, 23:25, 25:22, 25:21)
Final (12.08.2012):
Russia - Brazil 3:2 (19:25, 20:25, 29:27, 25:22, 15:9)
but i'm also curious what Germany will show ? it might be interesting
Argentina, Serbia and Bulgaria won't count in the end
USA is unpredictable
lukass, at last Olympics vball was sport with most spectators with athletics I think. In England sports like vball, handball, even basketball are not popular, and that is the reason.
If we arrive in the semi-finals, Italy will win the bronze!
#2 Russia
#3 USA
#4 Brazil
#5 Italy
#6 Bulgaria
#7 Argentina
"Who will fight for gold medal- there're 4 teams:Brazil, Russia, Italy and Poland. Except them we should watch out on USA"
http://aktualnosci.siatka.org/pokaz/2012-07-16-andrea-anastasi-pojedziemy-bic-sie-o-zloto
Poland
USA
Italy
Brazil eliminated in Quarters
Serbia eliminated in Quarters
Argentina eliminated in Quarters
Too bad Canada didn't qualify I'll cheer for Argentina
2-russian
3-brazil
4-italy
5-argentina
6-bulgaria
7-serbia
8-usa
Men's Volleyball
http://www.london2012.com/volleyball/event/men/teams/
Women's Volleyball
http://www.london2012.com/volleyball/event/women/teams/
http://livetv.ru/en/allupcomingsports/5/
I think that Germany is a team who can surprise or cause an upset or two because they don't have any pressure, and they won against Bulgaria in Bulgaria in the Olympic qualifying tournament before losing to Italy 3-2 in the finals. They have a young team and an opposite in Georg Grozer who, on his day, can resolve a difficult situation with his serve.
Also Serbia is very interesting. Keep an eye on them. In my eyes the Serbian team is a good mix of players playing in such an important tournament for the first time but lacking experience, and players who have already played at the Olympics and are big names in the international volleyball arena. The good thing is that they don't have any pressure on them to win, so they can play in a more relaxed way.
In terms of star players looking ahead to London, I would pick out (Michal) Winiarski (POL), (Alexander) Volkov (RUS), (Maxim) Mikhailov (RUS) and Grozer. And of course there's a desire to be there, because just to be a part of the Olympic tournament with all those great athletes is a privilege.
Now about Brazil,
Brazil obviously has been through some problems lately. We could say, that the first visible crack on this perfect Brazilian machine appeared just four years ago during the World League Finals 2008 in Rio de Janeiro. As we remember, that is when USA stopped this impressive series of victories. Americans beat Brazil during the one of the most beautiful games in history and later they won the great final with Serbia.
The chance of revenge came real soon - in Beijing. Brazil was defeated once again and even though they came back with a silver medal of Olympic Games, they considered it as a failure.
In 2009 Brazil restored the World League gold title for two years and in 2010 they won the World Championship in Italy. A year ago Brazil lost another World League Final (with Russia) and during this season their game was not enough even for semifinals. They joined Final Six as the best second team of all the groups, but Brazilian quality was seriously damaged. During the international round they lost three times with Poland and once with... Canada! In Sofia they did not win any game (lost games with Cuba and Poland) and Bernardo Rezende had to face a real problem.
Rodrigao said about this bad time: I think all good changes will eventually come. All our difficulties are caused by this transition of generations which we have right now. After the Olympics many of us will step aside for the younger players. The World League was not good for us, but we are still on the top and we hope for some good results in London.For me, this will be the last tournament in the national team of Brazil.
He is not the only one with those plans. Giba also claimed that this is the last season for him as a Brazilian representative and capitan. However, it can be a problem even with lasting that long for this great star of volleyball. Rezende's team has some real health issues. Giba and Murillo are struggling with injuries and Vissotto just came from the long break. Bernardinho had to take some precaution. That is why he took... 13 players to England. The "extra" one is Ricardo Lucarelli, 20 years old most talented boy who may be a kind of "insurance" for the biggest volleyball stars on the planet.
Now Brazil is three day before their first meeting. They have an easy start with Tunisia, but they are in this more difficult group with Russia and USA. How far will they go during this Olympics? How will sound this last accord of international career for Giba, Rodrigao and maybe some other top players? It seems like this great tournament will give us an answer - who is the current king of volleyball? If Brazil gave their crown for good or they suprise the world once again with the Olympic gold? However, even with the bronze medal, it would be the third time in a row for this team to be on the Olympic podium - which would be a historical success
Before the tournament many people were worried about the audience (that there won't be enough people to fill all the seats) and I have to say that the truth is exactly opposite. Maybe not every seat is taken but thanks to lots of fans who came, the game is not quiet nor boring.
How is Latvia so good its like they only practice beach volleyball !!
@kaz You killed me with that line about baldness as a requirement for Italian coaching staff ?
Hard to say. We play good, but imagine that it can heppen something like the first set with Italy today. We can have worse day. we can even play point by point with tough rival and lose in the endings. We can even have no luck. But I hope that we would play like today and win!
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