The Italian men's national volleyball team qualified for the semifinals of the Final Phase of the Nations League after defeating Cuba 3:1 (25:18, 25:19, 20:25, 25:21) in a quarterfinal played in Ningbo (China).
The Italians started with an aggressive and stable game, controlling the first two sets through excellent defensive organization and effective attack. The Cubans managed to get back into the match in the third set, but the fourth was again under the control of the "Azzurri", who closed the match with composure. The second referee of the match was our Ivaylo Ivanov.
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Attack:
Cuba scored more points in attack –54 against 41for Italy.
This shows that the Caribbeans relied mainly on physical power and individual attacking solutions, while Italy played more collectively and balanced.
Block:
Italy dominated at the net with9 blocks against 6for Cuba.
Excellent game reading and positioning gave a serious advantage to the "Azzurri".
Serve:
The serve was also in favor of Italy –7 aces against only 3for Cuba.
The strong serve helped the Italians keep their opponents under pressure and limit their effectiveness in reception.
Points from opponent's errors:
Cuba made twice as many errors -37 points were gifted to Italy against only 19for themselves.
This is a key difference in the match - the discipline and stability of the Italians proved decisive.
Total points:
Italy finished the match with94 points, against82for Cuba.
Defense and organization:
Saved balls in defense were equal -46 for both teams, but Cuba had an advantage in reception (81 against 63), which however they failed to capitalize on in the best way.
In attack distribution (sets), Cuba again led -114 against 99, but quality, not quantity, was in Italy's favor.
Most scoring players:
For Italy:Micheletto and Rychlickiwith16 points each.
For Cuba:Yant with 21 pointsandMergarajo with 10.
🇮🇹 What's next for Italy?
With this victory, Italy qualified for the semifinals, where they will await the winner of the match between France and Slovenia.
Italy demonstrated maturity, balance, and collective strength, which prevailed over Cuba's explosive but unstable style. The victory is further confirmation that the "Azzurri" are among the main favorites for the title in this year's edition of the Nations League.
