The reigning Nations League champion Poland concluded the main phase with a convincing 3:0(25:20,25:21,25:19) victory over hosts USA in the last match of the tournament in Chicago. The success definitively shaped the final standings and the quarter-final pairs for the Final Eight, which will take place from July 29 to August 2 in the Chinese city of Ningbo.
Nikola Grbić's team finished the preliminary phase with 10 wins and 29 points, which placed them second in the standings. The Poles recorded four consecutive successes in Chicago against Bulgaria, Brazil, France, and the USA, and in the last match, they controlled the events for most of the time and deservedly achieved a clean victory.
The top scorer for the winners was Bartlomiej Boladz with 16 points, Wilfredo Leon added 14, and Tomasz Fornal and Bartlomiej Lemanski scored 9 each. For the Americans, Matt Anderson finished with 13 points.
After the end of the main phase, all quarter-final matchups also became clear. Preliminary phase winner Japan will face hosts China, who participate in the Final Eight as the tournament organizer. Poland will go up against Ukraine, Slovenia will meet Turkey, and world champion Italy will test their strength against the USA.
| Date | Time (Italian time) | Quarter-final |
|---|---|---|
| July 29 | 09:00 | Japan (1) – China (18) |
| July 30 | 09:00 | Poland (2) – Ukraine (7) |
| July 30 | 13:00 | Slovenia (3) – Turkey (6) |
| July 31 | 13:00 | Italy (4) – USA (5) |
The lineup pitted four intriguing pairs against each other. Japan appears to be the favorite against China, Poland will have debutant Ukraine as an opponent, Slovenia will face Turkey, who reached the Final Eight for the first time, and Italy and the USA will offer one of the most anticipated clashes in the quarter-finals. The winners will qualify for the semi-finals on August 1, and the final and the bronze medal match are scheduled for August 2.
photo:volleyballworld.com
