In Manila, the rainy season brings daily downpours, and at the Volleyball World Championship, unexpected results 'sprout' like mushrooms after rain. Belgium surprised the reigning champion Italy and recorded a historic 3:2 set victory, securing their place in the round of sixteen. The Belgian opposite hitter Ferre Reggers, who plays in Milan, became the executioner of some of his teammates in the Italian league, scoring an exceptional 31 points for the win.
Dramatic turn of the match
The Belgians took a convincing 2:0 lead, driven by the brilliant performance of Sam Deroo and Ferre Reggers. Italy found the strength to bring back the intrigue, leveling the score at 2:2. In the tie-break, however, the Belgians maintained concentration and controlled the end of the match. Reggers brought the first match point, and the future player for Lokomotiv Novosibirsk – Sam Deroo, finished the match with a decisive attack against the block.
Set scores
Pool F – Preliminary Phase – Match #32
Quezon City, Philippines
Italy – Belgium 2:3 (23-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 13-15)
Match statistics
| Italy | Statistics | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | Attack | 62 |
| 14 | Block | 11 |
| 6 | Serve | 6 |
| 32 | Opponent errors | 29 |
| 106 | Total points | 108 |
The Belgians were more effective in attack (62 vs 54), which proved to be a key factor. Italy excelled in blocking (14 vs 11), but this did not help them in the most crucial moments.
Statistics by elements
| Italy | Element | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Digs | 79 |
| 88 | Reception | 88 |
| 120 | Setting | 136 |
The Belgians distinguished themselves with significantly more digs (79 vs 66) and better game organization (136 sets). These details reflect their more stable collective work in defense and counterattack.
Top Scorers
| Italy | Points | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botolo (12) | 17 | Reggers (2) | 31 |
| Michieletto (5) | 16 | Deroo (3) | 17 |
Ferre Reggers was the big star of the match with 31 points – almost double that of the best Italian player. Sam Deroo also strongly supported the Belgian team, while the Italians distributed points among their attackers, but without a clear leader.
What's Next
Belgium is now a confirmed participant in the Round of 16, while Italy will have to wait for their last match against Ukraine on September 18 to find out if they will advance.
The loss dropped Italy to third place in the world rankings, while Belgium climbed three spots and is now 14th.
Another surprising result in Manila shows that there are no certain victories at this World Championship, and the favorites will have to prove their class in every match.
photo: volleyballworld.com
