The World Championship in the Philippines already has its first huge upset – Canada defeated Japan 3:0 (25:20, 25:22, 25:22) and knocked the "Samurai" out of the tournament. On September 17, a direct clash between the "Maple Leafs" and Turkey will determine the group winner, while Laurent Tillie's boys will play their last match against Libya for pride.
Match Progress
First Set (20:25): Canada started more steadily and built a lead at 17:13. Their block was working excellently, which led to 22:17. Captain Hoag brought set point with a block-out (19:24), and immediately after, Canada ended the set with an attack through the middle – 20:25.
Second Set (22:25): Japan took the lead for the first time at 10:8, but the Canadians immediately responded – triple block for 11:10 and then 13:10. At 16:13 after an error by Ran, Canada was already controlling the set. Despite the symbolic hosts' attempts to get back into the set (22:19), Hoag closed the set with a pipe for 0:2.
Third Set (22:25): A dramatic set in which Japan was trailing 15:20, but a series of strong serves by Ishikawa and Miyaura and subsequent counterattacks reduced the gap to 21:22. In the crucial moments, however, Canada held their nerve and turned the serve around: Lorey finished for 22:23, then Heslinga secured match point, and the fateful #13 Sho ended everything with a block-out against Ran and sent the Japanese home.
Match Statistics
| Team | Attack | Block | Service | Opponent Errors | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 33 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 65 |
| Canada | 40 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 75 |
Canada showed huge superiority in blocking (10:2) – a key factor for the straight-sets victory. Japan partially compensated with aces (7:3), but failed to capitalize on their advantage in this element.
| Element | Japan | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Balls saved in defense | 44 | 51 |
| Reception | 55 | 53 |
| Distribution | 78 | 72 |
The Canadians were more stable in defense and more direct in attack, while the Japanese had more plays but less efficiency in the finishing phase.
Top Scorers
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| SHO (#13) | Canada | 14 |
| Hoag (#4) | Canada | 13 |
| Ran (#12) | Japan | 11 |
| Miyaura (#4) | Japan | 10 |
Canada had two leaders – SHO with 14 points and captain Hoag with 13. For the Japanese, Ran and Miyaura carried the load, but it wasn't enough for a comeback.
After this victory, Canada is second in the group, with Turkey first due to a better point coefficient. The Maple Leafs climbed to 8th place in the world rankings. Japan is 7th.
For Japan, there remains the consolation that to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, they will need to win the Asian Games next year. However, some are wondering whether Laurent Tillie will still be in this position then.
