Cuban didn’t know how to read Japanese game. Photo: Volleyball World.
On the field, Japan displayed the same systematic, millimetre, studious game of the opponent that has propelled it into the context of world volleyball. on the other side of the net, A team from Cuba, also needing a victory in at least two sets to breathe easy, could not explain the essence of the opponent and appealed for more force than correction at the right time.
The end result was 3–1 clear for the Asians and Now it’s time to wait for the completion of the classification at the World Volleyball Championship To find out the future of the Antillean team.
The first set of guessed keys A Japanese game practically indecent for the Cuban team. Japan displayed exceptional field defense and quick delivery of passes, leaving West Indies with just one effective block.
with this, Only one point per serve and only ten units per attack They came together to define the partial at 25–18, where four goals from opposite Jesus Herrera meant the Caribbean’s highest.
in the next part On the court Cuba was better organized and 25-21 . dominatedIt hung again on Herrera’s attacking power—7 units—and a more efficient delivery of the ball that left Mergarejo and Simon with four units.
Even then, The contribution of the Creole bloc was absent, failing to stop the opponent’s attack even once.While the service as such an important aspect in this match only a few got aces But failed eight times.
The Cuban attack was few in number. Photo: Volleyball World.
Beyond figures throughout the match Japan almost completely implemented the fundamentals of modern volleyball: He attacked with a serve in suspension a few times and at other times, he changed the pace of the pass and wasted some opportunities arising from Cuba’s lack of coordination and problems in defense and reception that led to an intelligent organization of the game. air conditioned.
This was especially the case during the third set, Marked by Japan’s near perfection with only three unforced errors. Ultimately, it partially finished 25–15, with the West Indian team in a misplaced position with little ability to modify its system to adapt to the harsh Asian Games, while this complicated one and few options. Failed to define the points which the Japanese gave. counterattack.
The fourth and final set represents another chapter in the same story, particularly in the early stages of the set being blocked and despite Cuba’s slight superiority in the service. through the middle Once again, the lack of control in Creole and the Japanese adjustment in the face of Cuba’s immobility led to a decisive 25–19 in favor of the Asians.
in the general sense Japan dominated the attack and interception, while Cuba got five points for three for their rivals. Individually, Jess Herrera was the game’s best scorer with 20 points, but for his team, only Simon (11) reached double digits.
meanwhile this time Only Robertlandi Simon passed 50 percent effectiveness in the attack., a very worrying note for a team that relies on its own power to make up for other shortcomings. Meanwhile, none of the assistants barely reached 40 percent and The best numbers in both field defense and reception barely reached 50 percent.
The Cuban service attacked slightly. Photo: Volleyball World.
Those numbers are a reflection of the true key to Cuba’s defeat: Slight changes to the game system, lack of ability to define key points, lack of coordination against an opponent that leaves some room for improvisation and an excessive number of 38 unforced errors by Antilleans.
Japan’s virtues in receiving and defending off the field, as well as perfectly capable passes to go around the block, were already known. Even then, Cuba forgot him for most of the match.
For its part, it was practically impossible to adequately organize a good Caribbean invasion power, with a receipt marked by problems. but Just as their opponent knew how to find the gap before and during the game, the Creole team came to the field to play from start to finish.
Definitely Cuba finishes the qualifying stage in third place in the group with four units. Now he will have to wait for the results of the rest of today’s and tomorrow’s matches to find out if he gets a qualification that seems possible, thanks above all to the point taken in their 2-3 loss to Brazil. went.
However, the selection for the next round in terms of ranking Must end between 15th and 16th placea place that will leave them to rivals Slovenia or mighty Poland suddenly surpassed death. It was in the hands of Cuba to change that history and it did not succeed. Now it remains only to wait and above all, correct the objective and subjective errors if one wishes to go further.
